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the-real-tc · 2 years

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Bad Business Chapter 2: For Better

Author's Note: Thanks for all likes and re-blogs so far, everyone! I appreciate the encouragement. Here's the next installment. Things are still relatively calm, as you'll see. This time we have a small side plot involving what I'd call Heartland magic, you know, that not quite true-to-life horse-healing stuff that's nevertheless entertaining (or at least I hope it is). While it may seem like nothing much is happening in this chapter, I can tell you it's laying a foundation, so pay close attention.

Special thanks to tnwalk7rach for her help with this chapter as she provided invaluable information. Any inaccuracies are solely my fault, as creative liberties were taken.

***

Chapter 2: For Better

"I'm so glad to get that announcement out of the way," Amy sighed after making sure Lyndy was tucked in safely for the night. "It was driving me crazy keeping it a secret. As it is, I think Lisa and Lou were getting a little suspicious."

"I'm relieved to get it out of the way, too," Ty said in agreement.

"You're not planning to bubble-wrap me again this time, right?" Amy said to her husband as they prepared for bed.

"Uh... No," Ty said, a grin creeping up on his lips. "I think I'm over that 'super-over-protective' phase."

"Well, good!" Amy said while sliding under the bedsheets. "Because bubble-wrap spooks the horses."

"Does it, now?"

"Mm-hmm," Amy replied with a mock-serious nod, brushing her fingertips across his chest. "Noise-sensitive equines could be set back weeks just by being exposed to the stuff. Snap-crackle-pop! Instant horse trauma."

"Now you're sounding like an old Rice Krispies cereal commercial," Ty said, snuggling in close to Amy. He rested his chin against her shoulder and brought an arm over her belly.

"Ty..." Amy began slowly.

"Hmm?"

"How would you feel about it if I decided to ride during this pregnancy?"

Ty hesitated before answering, leading Amy to believe he was not thrilled with the idea. "I think... if your Ob/Gyn says the risks are minimal, then I think you should follow her advice," he finally answered.

"You didn't really answer my question," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"Be honest: would you or would you not be okay with it if I got the all-clear?"

Ty inhaled sharply. He knew Amy was not trying to bait him, but he felt cornered, nevertheless. "Amy, I will always have your safety and that of our baby as my highest concern. But I know I can't bubble-wrap you. I don't want to be that guy who dictates everything his wife does because he's too insecure. If you want to ride this time around, then go for it."

"Okay," she said. "I'll see what the doctor says when I go in for my check-up."

"All right," he said agreeably, but to Ty's ears, his wife did not sound as if she fully believed him.

***

"Have I told you lately how proud I am of you?"

After donning one of Jack's old shirts that she had claimed for sleepwear, Lisa looked at her husband over her shoulder with a quizzical expression. "No. Why do you ask?"

"Tonight," Jack said, moving to stand close behind her so he could place his hands on her shoulders. "You didn't make a peep about being the reason why Scott can take on Cassandra as full partner at the vet clinic."

"Why should I have? It was a group decision," Lisa said, trying to deflect any praise.

"Mm-hmm," Jack murmured, bringing his lips to her cheek. "And who was it that brought the clinic to the group's attention in the first place?"

"Well, I may have suggested it," Lisa conceded. "And though I voluntarily abstained from the final vote, the rest of them still had to unanimously choose to support Scott."

"That could not have been an easy task with Dan Hartfield being involved," Jack grunted, trying without success to hide his personal disdain for the man.

"Actually, Dan helped convince the others," Lisa said. "Some of them were concerned there was too much of a personal interest on my part since Ty is family, after all. I pointed out Ty has his own practice at Heartland with Amy apart from the clinic, and Dan mentioned how much Scott has done for all of us in the horse business in Hudson."

"Really," Jack said dubiously.

"Yes. And you'll never guess who seconded the motion."

"Who?"

"Val Stanton."

"I have to say I had my misgivings when Dan roped the two of you into this," Jack said with a shake of his head, "but I admit I was wrong in this case. This little investors' group has been doing a lot of good."

Lisa did not reply immediately, but simply gave a cold, abstract "Mm-hmm."

Jack instinctively interpreted her chilly response to mean she was thinking once again about Lanny and Paige. "I heard about the reward the group is offering in the Barick murder case," he said quietly, lowering his hands from Lisa's shoulders to encircle her about the waist. "Your idea again?"

"No. Tanner Gunn's idea," Lisa answered, turning now so she could wrap her own arms around his frame as she leaned into his chest. "It was an easy decision to put up the reward money. After all, Lanny was one of the original members of the investors' group... That poor family..."

"Yeah," Jack said, now rubbing a gentle circle into Lisa's back. "I sure hope someone out there can provide answers."

"Me, too," Lisa said with a soft sigh. "You should have heard Paige's family at the memorial and press conference today, Jack. It's been a year, but the pain there is still so raw."

"I tell you, if someone had done that to Marion, I wouldn't have rested until her killer was brought to justice," Jack said passionately. "As it is, losing her in that auto accident wasn't easy, either. But it was an accident. It was something I could come to terms with, even if it wasn't fair."

"That must have been a terrible time for you. For all of you," Lisa murmured. "I wish I had known you then. I wish I could have been there for you."

"I know. But you're here now, and I'm grateful."

"I wish I had been able to meet her," Lisa said wistfully as they separated and climbed into the bed. "I knew about her only vaguely, which is really a shame."

"The two of you would have got along very well," Jack declared.

"Really? You think?"

"Why, sure. You love horses. Marion loved horses. She would have liked the way you treat your animals and staff at Fairfield."

"Would she have liked me—with you?" Lisa asked. It was a question that occasionally occurred to her, but had never found an opportunity to broach the topic with Jack.

"Oh, I don't think that would have been a problem for her," Jack said dismissively, pulling the covers over them both.

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "Having a step-mother younger than she was wouldn't have been strange?"

"'Strange'? Naw. She would have loved you, Lis. Where is this coming from all of a sudden?"

"Oh, I don't know. Just thoughts about family, I guess," Lisa said, lying back while Jack switched off his bedside lamp. "Amy's announcement... Things are going to be busy around here again with a new little person. I love my life with you and everyone else at Heartland. But sometimes, I wonder..."

"You wonder what it would be like if you'd had kids of your own," Jack said knowingly, inching nearer to her. Lisa slid readily into his arms, bringing her head to rest beneath his chin.

"Yeah," she whispered. "But then I think, if I had been able to carry the ones I lost to term, I think: I would want them to be exactly like the family I have, right now."

"Well, good," Jack said happily, kissing the top of her head. "Because I think if Marion had been able to choose the kind of woman to look after her children and grandchildren, she would have chosen someone exactly like you."

"Would she?"

"You love them as if they were your own," Jack said earnestly. "You've been able to do things for them I couldn't, and I'm not just talking about money."

"No?"

"All right, it's true you have spoiled them more than I ever could, but it goes beyond that. You're generous with your time, your advice, and your business expertise," Jack stated. "For example: If it wasn't for you, I might not have been convinced to let Lou have her Dude Ranch on the family property."

"And see how beautifully that turned out," Lisa said contentedly, instantly remembering a magical winter's night at that same Dude Ranch, cabins strung with bright lights, and the exchange of rings and vows.

"Yes, for the most part, you're right about that," Jack said with a soft chuckle, his mind also drifting back to the same winter's night, and the joys that followed since.

Sleep came easily to the happy couple, secure in each other's embrace.

***

Two Weeks Later

"So?"

"Dr. Hawthorn has given me the all-clear," Amy said as Ty opened the truck door for her. "She says everything looks good and it's okay for me to ride during the first trimester."

"That's good, Amy," Ty said, hoping he sounded genuine.

"It is," Amy said. "Now, are we ready to take on our latest client?"

"I think so," Ty said, as he started the truck.

"Great," Amy said with a smile while she buckled her seatbelt. "Because he's supposed to be arriving with his horses just after lunch."

Earlier that morning, Amy had received a call from a potential new client named Marvin Clancy about a case of foal rejection.

"Bring them to Heartland as soon as you can," Amy had advised. "My husband is a vet, so if there's something medically wrong with the mare, he can determine the issue. If it's something behavioural, I'll get to the bottom of it."

Now as the couple drove back home, they compared notes.

"Did you find out if it's a maiden mare?" Ty asked.

"No, but we can ask when Marvin arrives," said Amy.

"Okay," Ty said. "Is the mare showing any signs of aggression?"

"Fortunately, no," Amy answered. "Marvin told me she just won't let the little one suckle and seems to be fearful of it."

"Hmm," Ty murmured. "Could be a few things going on in this situation."

"Right," Amy said. "I can't wait for us to figure it out. We make a great team, Ty."

"I know," Ty said with a grin. "I love working with you at Heartland."

"I'm thinking it's probably still way too early for this foal to be weaned," said Amy, picking up their topic at hand.

"Yeah," Ty said. "I'm a little worried because it could be really difficult to find a surrogate on such short notice. If push comes to shove, we'll start a bottle-feeding regimen, obviously."

"You up for some late-night feedings, 'Dad'?" Amy teased.

"Practice for when Number Two arrives," Ty replied smartly, reaching over to rub Amy's belly.

"Good answer," Amy said, giggling at the ticklish sensation resulting from her husband's touch. "On a related note, I'm looking forward to having you as my birth partner this time around, Ty."

"What, your dad isn't your first choice? Didn't he do a good enough job last time?"

"Umm, let's not go there," Amy replied, rolling her eyes and laughing.

***

Due to the unusual circumstances of the mare's rejection of her foal, Marvin Clancy was obliged to trailer them separately.

"Sassy was not too pleased when I tried to transport little Windy with her," he explained. "I know it's best for the foal's first trailering to be with its mama, but mama wasn't having it."

"Well, you managed to get them both here," Ty said, "that's the important part. How old is Windy?"

"Six days old," Marvin answered.

"And have you started bottle-feeding him?" Amy asked.

"As soon as we noticed Sass wasn't feeding him," Marvin replied. "My wife and I have been in the stable pretty much since he was born, keeping an eye on things, getting him used to being around people. It's the first foal born on our farm, so it was a pretty big deal."

"So this is Sassy's first foal?" Amy asked of the Quarter Horse.

"No, it's her third," Marvin answered, "but the first she's had on my farm. I bought her two years ago from a friend. He said she'd had two before."

"Hm," Ty said reflectively. "And no indication she rejected the foals in those instances?"

"None at all," Marvin said, "which is why it's so concerning. I'd like to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, obviously."

"Did Windy at least get some of the colostrum?" asked Ty, wanting to ensure the newborn had benefitted from the early nutrients and antibodies that first milk provided.

"Yeah, he suckled just fine the first two days," Marvin said. "But by day three, Sassy-girl started avoiding him and wouldn't let him feed."

"Okay, I'll do an examination of Sassy and run some tests to rule out a few things like mastitis or something more serious," Ty said.

"And if it's not something medical?" Marvin asked, sending a knowing glance in Amy's direction.

"Then I'll take over," Amy said. "For now, we'll keep up with the bottle-feeding routine. In the meantime, we should both try putting out some feelers into the community to see if there's a mare nearby that can come in as a nursemaid—as a last resort."

"All right," Marvin said with a hint of reluctance. "I'll try."

"Good," Amy said. "We all want what's best for these two, right?"

"For sure," Marvin said with a smile. "I'll call tomorrow to check in."

"Sounds good, Marvin," Ty said, shaking the man's hand. "We'll be in touch."

***

Next Day

"We can definitively rule out mastitis or any other problem affecting Sassy's mammary glands and milk production," Ty informed Marvin over the phone. "No indication of inflammation, swelling, ulcers, or tumors."

"Well, that's good, right?" Marvin asked.

"It's a good start," Ty acknowledged. "It means Sassy isn't rejecting Windy because she's experiencing pain or discomfort due to nursing."

"Okay, so what do we do next?"

"Well, we're continuing with bottle feeding, but Amy is going to turn them out into the paddock today and observe how they interact," Ty said. "Sometimes, horses don't like being cooped up in a stable. It could be Sassy just wants some space."

"But y'all are still handling Windy and getting him used to people, right?"

"Right, when we feed him," Ty replied.

"But nothing more?"

"What do you mean 'nothing more'?" Ty asked.

"I mean, I had hoped you and your animal-behaviour specialist wife would be more pro-active with the, y'know, the imprinting process," Marvin said, an edge of irritation creeping into his tone.

The concept of imprinting was not foreign to Ty, but it was one both he and Amy discouraged their clients from attempting too early on in a foal's development.

I don't even think I need Amy to diagnose what's up with Sassy and Windy, Ty thought ruefully. Marvin and his wife have probably been too hands-on with this poor foal, and his mama doesn't like it.

"Marvin, I'm sorry to disappoint you," Ty said as calmly as possible. "It's been our experience that over-handling a newborn foal can be detrimental to the bonds it's supposed to develop with its mother in those critical early days."

"Yeah, but this horse expert guy we follow on YouTube makes the point that the earlier you imprint on your horse, the easier he'll be to train up," Marvin argued. "He's a published author. Says de-sensitizing them early makes 'em more docile and more likely to trust humans."

Ty, not wanting to sound combative, said, "Mr. Clancy, I know there are plenty of people out there on the Internet with plenty of opinions, and I'm glad you're interested in doing what's best for Sassy and Windy, otherwise you wouldn't have brought them here, right?"

"That's right," Marvin said in agreement.

"So I'm asking you to trust me and my wife," Ty said. "There's still plenty of time to get Windy to 'trust humans', and my wife can even help you with that process. She's gentled wild horses; she knows what she's doing."

Marvin huffed, and grudgingly accepted Ty's request of trust. "Fine. But if Windy doesn't train up right, you know who I'm blaming."

***

"Well, I think we can draw a very strong conclusion about what the problem is with Sassy and Windy," Ty said, as Amy came down from the loft after putting Lyndy down for a nap.

"Oh?" she asked, fully curious.

"Yep," Ty said with a curt nod. "I spoke with Marvin just now, you know, to tell him there's nothing physically wrong with Sassy, and he mentioned he and his wife bought into the whole early imprinting thing with foals. They were apparently in there handling Windy as soon as he was born."

"Oh," Amy said. "That actually could explain a lot about why Sassy is rejecting Windy."

"Exactly," Ty said. "I mean, I don't blame him for doing what he thinks is best for his horses, but in this case, it's doing more harm than good."

"Well, the good news is we can probably fix the problem because we've caught it early. Windy is due for another feeding right about now, but when that's over, it will be time to turn them out."

"That's what I told Marvin you'd be doing," Ty said.

"And it needs to be done now more than ever," Amy added. "In fact, I think I'll turn Sassy out right away. It will give her space, and maybe it will give her time to miss her baby. Her mothering instincts don't just disappear overnight; we just need to help her remember them."

To Amy and Ty's disappointment, however, Sassy showed little interest in Windy by the afternoon. The foal's full stomach meant he was not inclined to want to suckle due to hunger, but he knew his mother's scent anyway, and craved her maternal closeness. Sassy wanted nothing of it. Every time the foal neared, she distanced herself from him. The window to get Windy nursing again naturally would be closing swiftly, and the pair of horse healers fretted this might be a rare case when they would have to accept defeat.

***

By the next morning, Amy wanted to persist in turning Windy out with the rest of the horses after each of his bottle feedings. She decided to hold off introducing any sort of dry feed for the time being, just to give the foal more time to observe the adults foraging so he would get the idea. Sassy persisted in her avoidance tactics.

When Georgie arrived home from school that afternoon, she went immediately to saddle Phoenix for a round of jumping practice. She noticed Amy watching the latest arrivals on her way from the stables.

"How are they doing?" the teen asked her aunt.

"No breakthroughs yet," Amy replied. "But at least we think we know what the trouble is."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"The owners were trying to do something with the foal called 'imprinting'," Amy explained. "In theory, it's supposed to help the foal become used to humans so it's easier to train later on, but instead it can really interfere with the natural bonds the baby is supposed to have with its mother if it's done too early or too aggressively. Since there's no medical reason for Sassy to be rejecting Windy, we think it's the over-handling by humans that's turned Sassy off from her own foal."

"Gee, that's too bad," Georgie said in sympathy. "Poor baby. I hope you guys can work it out."

"Me, too," Amy said with a sigh. "Anyway, I'll let you get to your practice."

"Thanks," Georgie said, snapping her helmet chinstrap and pulling it snug. Remi, upon seeing Georgie mount up, scampered from her spot on the porch to be closer to the action.

"Here comes your shadow," Amy said with a chuckle, giving the dog a quick rub around her furry jowls.

"Hi, girl," Georgie cooed. "Did you come to watch me practice? Good girl!"

Remi snuffled and gave her tail a few vigorous wags before settling down on the sidelines to take in Georgie's practice rounds. But before long, the dog wandered off towards the paddock, drawn to the pair of new horses. She yawned once with an extravagant stretch, and sat herself down next to Amy.

The dog and the human looked out upon a few of the permanent equine residents standing lazily in the paddock, grazing about. Windy the foal, having discovered other large animals not his own mother the previous day, would take a few tentative steps towards a strange horse, then suddenly prance off, as if playing a game of keep-away. The elder horses generally paid the foal no attention. His mother, though, avoided him at each playful approach, trotting off in a different direction each time he chanced to get near.

"Come on, Sassy," Amy said under her breath after observing this behaviour for close to an hour. "Take care of your baby. We stinky people aren't going to get in your way anymore."

Remi huffed and whined once, as if picking up on Amy's exasperation. She got to her feet, gave her tail a few gentle wags, then padded over in Sassy's general vicinity.

Amy watched in awe as Sassy sniffed curiously at this canine invading her space. Remi tolerated this attention with perfect calm and acceptance. Next, Sassy's large tongue came out, giving Remi's snout a long lick.

"Pals for life now," Amy said, a grin spreading across her face.

Ten minutes later, Remi was lying down at Sassy's feet, and the horse was nibbling calmly at some grass. Windy, however, was wary of the dog, its earlier curiosity around new creatures evidently forgotten.

***

"I think we've had a breakthrough," Amy said to Ty that evening after another round of bottle-feeding Windy was complete.

"Oh? What happened?" Ty asked.

"The canine companion factor," Amy answered triumphantly. "You know as well as I do that some nervous and stressed-out horses respond well to a companion animal. I mean, remember that goat Lisa had with Fairfield Flyer's clone a couple years ago?"

"Right," Ty said, thinking of how the high-strung thoroughbred had benefitted from the smaller animal's presence in its stall.

"Well, this afternoon, it was like Remi knew Sassy needed a friend. She went right over to her, and that seemed to break the ice. Sassy let Remi get right up to her and even licked her."

"You're kidding," Ty said.

"Nope. Remi just lay right down next to her out there in the paddock for the whole afternoon," Amy said. "It's the most relaxed I've seen that horse yet. I'll let her stay out tonight with the other horses, but I'd like to try turning Windy out again tomorrow and see what happens."

"That's excellent," Ty said. "Fingers crossed that Sassy will let Windy nurse tomorrow."

"I have a feeling she will," Amy said. "Gut instinct."

"Well, sure hope your gut's right, 'cause I actually forgot how tiring these round-the-clock feeding schedules can be."

"Oh, having second thoughts, 'Dad'?" teased Amy.

"Never," Ty said, stretching over to kiss her.

***

True to Amy's "gut instinct", Sassy was not on the alert when Windy's spindly legs carried him towards her early the next morning. Amy and Ty had purposely not fed the foal at the appointed time in the schedule so as to encourage it to seek out "breakfast" from its mother.

"Ty, look," Amy said in an excited whisper. "She's not running away from him."

"I see it," Ty said, his own excitement building.

The couple watched as the foal, ears flicking, crept closer, drawn by the promise of his mother's warm milk. He stretched his tongue out to the teat, latched on, and started suckling. Sassy remained in place, completely unperturbed by this activity.

"He's nursing!" Amy cried happily.

"Yes!" Ty exulted. "Marvin is going to be a very happy man when we tell him."

"He sure is," Amy said. "But make sure he knows he needs to get himself a Shepherd now, because I have a feeling Georgie isn't about to give up Remi."

Indeed, the canine was still out in the paddock, snoozing peacefully near the nursing mother and foal in the dewy morning grass.

***

Two Days Later...

"I know I said it earlier, but thanks for deciding to come to this one with me," Lisa said to Jack as they climbed into the Fairfield truck in preparation for departure to the vast Westfield estate.

"I have to admit this whole faux fox hunt deal really isn't so bad, despite the presence of certain individuals," Jack chuckled, a wry smile partially hidden beneath his generous moustache.

Both knew exactly which individuals Jack was referring to. Upon arriving at their destination, they walked with their horses on leads towards an open area before Paula Westfield summoned Jack.

"Hold him?" asked Jack, handing Lisa the line tethered to his jumper for the day, a Fairfield horse named Striker.

"Sure," Lisa said, taking the line from him. They were early still, as only a handful of participants had arrived, mostly those directly involved in a more official capacity. Moments later, she heard a voice she instantly recognized calling out a greeting, so she turned in response to it.

"Hello, Lisa! I see you managed to drag that fine husband of yours to another one of these things," Val said with a dry laugh and a half-grin.

"Hi, Val. Yes, I certainly did," Lisa replied warily. She was never entirely comfortable when Val referred to Jack in such familiar terms. But I really need to remember Jack has known Val longer than he's known me, she thought, they're just friends.

Jack was oblivious to Val's scrutiny while he stood talking with Paula about his role in today's proceedings.

"I guess he had such a great time at the last one, he couldn't stay away this time, eh?" Val laughed again, this time a little too harshly for Lisa's liking. "My, he sure does look handsome in those breeches and that jacket, I'll say!"

"Mm-hmm," Lisa agreed with a tight-lipped smile.

"Let's hope the weather cooperates," Val chatted on. "No more freak snowfalls, please and thank you!"

Lisa was about to add "And no more drinking so much you can't stay on your horse, Val," but charitably stopped herself before making such a pointed dig at her former rival for Jack's attention and affection.

"That is a very fine animal," Val stated, nodding towards Lisa's steed.

"He's something, isn't he? His name is Herring," Lisa responded, glad for the change in subject. "You remember Ben, my nephew?"

"Of course I remember Ben. I seem to recall my Ashley had an eye for him while he was staying at Briar Ridge."

"Well, Ben's horse—Red—is the sire," Lisa said.

Val sent a dubious look at Lisa. "Red's the sire of Herring? Seriously?"

Lisa tried to conceal a laugh. "Seriously. I know, it's not a very creative name. It wasn't my idea."

"I might be interested in him, if you're looking for a buyer," Val said, stroking the horse's neck.

"Well, I did have another client interested in him earlier," Lisa replied. "But why don't I have Herring trailered over to Briar Ridge next week or so? You can try him out; see if he's what you really want, and we'll see if we can hammer out a deal."

"All right, sure," said Val. At that moment Paula dismissed Jack and called for Val's attention to deal with some other matter. "We'll talk soon, Lisa."

"Okay."

"Hello, Jack," Val said huskily, a bright smile flashing across her face as they passed each other.

"Val," Jack responded cordially, about to tip a non-existent hat before remembering his head was bare. He continued on to where Lisa was waiting with their mounts.

"What was that about?" he asked as he reached his wife's side, having seen the tail end of their conversation.

"Val might be interested in buying Herring," Lisa answered while staring after the other woman's retreating figure, somewhat surprised she had not found some excuse to linger in order to chat with Jack.

"No kidding," Jack uttered.

"Jack," Lisa began tentatively, "I know these kinds of events are out of your comfort zone, but I'll say it once more: I really appreciate everything you do to make it out here with me."

"Well, I seem to recall a fly fishing date that was out of your comfort zone some years ago," Jack said with a twinkle in his eye. "Not too many ladies would have agreed to that. But you went the extra mile and even bought all the gear, just so you wouldn't disappoint me."

"I knew I wanted to spend time with you and to get to know you better," Lisa said, gazing up at him with affection. "I wasn't about to let that opportunity pass me by."

"And I'm forever grateful you came," he commented, remembering how she allowed him to hold her close and guide her hands and arms while holding the fishing rod. It meant so much to him that she trusted him implicitly, even at that early stage in their relationship.

I caught a real beauty, he recalled saying to the kids when he returned from that date; his meaning slowly dawning on them as he shuffled inside with a very contented smile on his face.

"We should do that again sometime," Lisa said, reaching for his hand and taking it in hers.

"Sounds like a plan!" Jack answered heartily.

*** Chapter 3: Or Worse

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the-real-tc · 2 years

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Bad Business Ch. 7: Every Breath You Take

Chapter 7

Every Breath You Take

Shooting Victim Identified

Hudson Times—Print Version

May 3, 2019

Nadir Jutley

Hudson Police have released the identity of the motorist shot yesterday on Range Road 292. 53-year-old Lisa Stillman was found unconscious in her SUV by Hudson veterinarians, Drs. Scott Cardinal and Ty Borden at approximately 12:15 p.m., local time.

Stillman was found to be suffering from two gunshot wounds. She was transported by ambulance to the South Calgary Health Campus where she underwent emergency surgery and is currently listed in critical but stable condition.

Police are asking for the public's assistance in the matter. Anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious on the road at the time of the shooting is asked to call local police or the RCMP. In particular, authorities hope to speak with an individual riding a motorcycle who may have passed Stillman and might be able to provide further details. Thus far, police have no motive or suspects in the attack.

Hudson Chief of Police James Parker expressed his concern for Stillman, and for the safety of citizens of the town. However, he stressed there is no reason to believe there is any danger to the public at large.

Lisa Stillman is the owner of Fairfield Stables, a renowned thoroughbred racehorse breeding facility in Hudson that was established in 1951 by her late father, Matthew Stillman.

• Email: nadir_jutley

The ringing telephone cut through the silence that Friday morning. Jack pulled himself from the kitchen table. The call display indicated it was from the hospital, causing his heart to jump.

"Hello?" he answered after picking up the receiver. "Yes, this is Jack Bartlett."

He listened while the voice on the other line spoke a few words. Amy and Tim watched him carefully, both on edge.

"Thank you," Jack said once he heard everything the other party had to say. "Good-bye."

"Grandpa?" Amy asked, trying to read his expression. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," Jack answered, his heart exulting and mind spinning with the information he had been longing to hear. "Lisa's awake. She's regained consciousness."

"Oh, Grandpa, that's great news! I'm so happy!" Amy exclaimed. She wrapped her arms around him in happy relief.

"Great news, Jack," Tim said, slapping Jack on the back.

"I've got to get up there," Jack said.

"Of course. I'll take you," Amy said. "Let me just get Lyndy ready. You're still okay to get Lou from the airport, right, Dad?"

"Yeah, sure," Tim said. "You two go on. Tell Lisa I'm happy she's doing better, Jack. God knows what an insufferable bastard you would become if she didn't make it."

Jack just shook his head while a lopsided smile tugged at his mouth. "Shut up, you idiot," he said.

"Just sayin'," Tim quipped, always needing to have the last word.

***

Upon arriving at the hospital, Jack hurriedly returned to the ICU floor. The despair he had felt throughout the sleepless night before had lifted completely. He approached the nurse's desk expectantly. "I'm Jack Bartlett," he announced. "My wife was admitted yesterday. Lisa Stillman."

This nurse, different from the one yesterday, did not have to consult her records.

"Ms. Stillman has been moved from the ICU to another room, Mr. Bartlett."

"You mean she's not here?" Jack asked, disappointed he would be delayed in seeing her.

"No, she's not," the nurse confirmed. "Let me find out for you which floor she's on now, okay?"

A few minutes later, Jack was at last on the correct floor, but he would be disappointed yet again. The nurse on this recovery ward informed him: "She's resting again now, Mr. Bartlett. But you can go sit with her as long as you don't disturb her."

"You go ahead, Grandpa," Amy said while holding onto her sleeping toddler. "Lyndy and I'll wait out here for you for a bit."

Jack patted his granddaughter's shoulder. "Thank you," he said.

***

"Hey, Cowboy..."

Jack jerked his head up at the sound of the thin, wispy voice. Lisa was looking at him through tired, heavy-lidded eyes.

"Lis..." he whispered in awe, thinking he would burst with joy at seeing her conscious again. He had drifted off to a shallow nap while sitting at her bedside thanks to the lack of rest the night before, now all he wanted to do was keep his eyes open to be sure they were not deceiving him.

Jack forced himself not to overwhelm her, so he refrained from peppering her with all the frantic questions that were burning within. He instead sucked in a deep, steadying breath before taking a measured approach. "I am so relieved you woke up. How're you feeling?"

Lisa blinked slowly, as if considering how to answer. "Terrible," she eventually replied, after swallowing a couple times.

"Here, let me get you some water," Jack said quickly, reaching for the cup on the bedside table. He brought the straw to her lips and she drew a quick sip.

"Thanks," she rasped, throat still raw despite taking a drink. He put the cup back after intuiting she was satisfied for the time being.

"Are you in pain?" Jack asked anxiously.

A grimace crossed her face as she nodded in the affirmative. "Head," she muttered. "Arm... and side..."

"I can get the nurse or the doctor," Jack said, already rising up to get someone.

"No," Lisa spoke with more volume. "Don't go... just yet."

"Okay," Jack said, settling back into the chair, brushing her cheek gently to reassure her he was not going anywhere. "I'll just use the call button, then."

"Mm-hmm," she agreed, eyeing Jack as he pressed the device at her side. A few beats of silence passed before she spoke again. "What happened... to me? The doctors haven't told me anything yet... or maybe I was too out of it to remember if they did."

Jack searched her face. The dark circles under her eyes stood in contrast to the frighteningly wan pallor of her skin. "What do you remember?" he asked, hoping to forestall discussion of the trauma she had endured.

She reflected carefully before replying. "I-I was driving to a meeting, wasn't I?"

"Yes," Jack confirmed with an encouraging nod. "You were. Do you remember anything else?"

"I can't quite," she murmured, frowning with the effort of trying to recall the details of that drive. "There was a guy..."

Upon hearing this, Jack stiffened in his seat, pulse quickening. Maybe she would remember. Maybe they would be able to find her shooter and bring him to justice, effectively ending this nightmare. "What 'guy'?"

"On a motorbike," Lisa sighed. "He was trying to pass me on the road. I think he was afraid to risk it... did we have an accident? Did something hit us?"

Jack shook his head.

"Oh, no. Please don't tell me I hit him."

A soft, sad smile formed on his lips at the misery on her face at the thought she might be the one responsible for her current predicament. "No, no," he said to reassure her. "You didn't do anything wrong, Lis."

"Oh. Good." She sighed, blinking in relief to have that fear assuaged. "What, then?"

Jack was spared having to reply when a wiry nurse with short salt-and-pepper hair appeared at the door.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, looking in at the two of them.

"She woke up from her 'nap'," Jack stated.

"Wonderful!" declared the nurse, whose name tag identified her as 'Cheryl'. She strode into the room purposefully, immediately checking Lisa's vitals and asking about her pain levels.

"I have a terrible headache. But... my arm and side... hurt the most," Lisa responded tiredly. "Pain is about a seven or eight out of ten, maybe?"

"Remember there's a tube in your side," Cheryl said, "but I'll get the doctor to see if we can do something about increasing your pain meds to take the edge off—now that you're fully awake."

Lisa nodded. "Okay. Thank you."

"Be right back," the nurse said, smiling at the couple as she departed.

"Do you remember anything else?" Jack prodded when he was sure they were alone again.

"Mm-mm," Lisa mumbled, giving her head a slight negative shake.

Jack could see her lack of recall was frustrating her. He made the decision right then to give her the truth, without any dissimulation.

"Lis," he began slowly, finding it difficult to formulate the words even though he had gone over in his mind a hundred times what he knew about the heinous actions that brought her here. "You went off the road on the way to the meeting. We're not sure exactly what happened or why, but... Someone shot you."

His words struck a chord of distress in her, frazzling her nerves. Her face crumpled in confusion and Jack noticed a perceptible uptick in her heart-rate monitor.

"Shot...?" she uttered fearfully, unable to make sense of this piece of news. "Wh-why? Who would...?"

"We don't know. We were hoping you would be able to tell us something," Jack said, placing a hand over hers in comfort, delicately trying to avoid the I.V. port and lines. "Now, Chief Parker has got people investigating. But it's like I told him: my beautiful wife doesn't have an enemy in the world who would want to do something like this."

"I can't—I don't understand," Lisa said, still not recovered from the shock of Jack's news. "I have no memory of that... I—there must be some mistake..."

"I talked to Chief Parker," Jack said calmly, trying to ground her and bring her some peace of mind. "Like I said, he's got everyone he can looking into this, okay? We're going to catch who did this."

And he'd better pray I don't catch him first, Jack thought to himself.

Lisa sighed and nodded. "Okay."

***

Hudson Police Headquarters

"Chief, the hospital just called," Patterson informed her boss. "Lisa Stillman has regained consciousness."

"That's good news," Jim said. "You and Kavanaugh get up there right away. We need to get her statement about what happened as soon as the doctors will let you speak with her."

"All right," Patterson said. "We're on our way."

***

Lou's hurriedly booked flight from New York was scheduled to arrive early that afternoon at Calgary International Airport. The entire time in the air was spent in dread remembrance of a similar trip years ago. That time, she knew she would be coming home to a dead mother and a comatose sister, the result of an accident that occurred during a crazy rescue mission to save Spartan. Lou wondered what would be awaiting her this time. The shock of hearing that her grandfather's second wife had been shot had still not worn off.

What on earth did you get yourself into, Lisa? Lou questioned silently. This is going to kill Grandpa if you don't make it. I saw what losing Grandma Lyndy did to him, and what it did to him when we lost Mom. So you'd better live. Oh, why is this even happening?

"Dad!" she called out to Tim when she spotted his cowboy-hatted figure waiting for her outside the Arrivals gate.

"Lou, honey," Tim said, giving her a quick hug. "Good news. Lisa woke up. Jack's with her right now."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Lou exclaimed, happy she did not have to ask the question about Lisa's state of health. "I was so worried."

"Yeah, we all were," Tim said as he motioned for her to head to his truck while taking her suitcases. "But it looks like she's going to be okay, so we can probably stop worrying."

"That's a huge relief," Lou said. "Do the police have any idea what happened?"

"The police are clueless," Tim replied gruffly. "No leads except there was 'some guy' on a motorcycle."

"That's too bad," Lou said. "I don't even know what to think about all this."

"Yeah, it's a real mess," Tim said as they reached his truck.

"Dad," Lou began tentatively, biting her lip. "What about Amy? How's she doing?"

"She's better, I think," Tim answered plainly. "She's not as mopey and depressed today, anyway."

"That's good," stated Lou. "I guess things are looking up, then. I don't think this family could take much more, honestly."

"Yeah, it's been rough," Tim said in agreement. "Listen, I've got to stop in at Maggie's on the way home. You mind? It's been overwhelming with everything going on lately."

"You haven't let a couple family crises get in the way of your duties at the diner, have you, Dad?" Lou chided in mock reproach.

"Absolutely not," Tim said. "After all, isn't that why you hired Jen? To make sure things run smoothly while you're away?"

"Yeah, yeah," Lou quipped. "Let's go. I'm tired and I want to call Katie and Peter when I get home so we can arrange for her to come back now that everything is improving."

***

South Calgary Health Campus

"The police are here," Nurse Cheryl announced to Jack and Lisa. "They would like to speak to Ms. Stillman about what happened."

"Don't know how much I can tell them," Lisa said, feeling better now that the pain was back within tolerable levels. "I don't really remember much."

"That's all right. You just do your best, okay?" Jack said encouragingly. "Tell them what you told me, and they'll take it from there."

Lisa nodded and a small sigh escaped her lips. "Okay. I'll try."

Jack stepped out of the room to make way for Detective Kavanaugh and Detective Constable Patterson to enter and to give them some privacy.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Stillman," Kavanaugh said. Both he and Patterson seated themselves so Lisa did not have to strain to look up at them. "I'm sorry we have to meet again under such awful circumstances."

Lisa looked warily at the pair. "Good afternoon," she replied, somewhat guardedly.

"How are you feeling?" asked Patterson.

"Better than I was a couple hours ago. Thank God for good pain meds," Lisa remarked with a sardonic twist of her mouth.

"Good, we're glad to hear that," Patterson said. "Think you can answer our questions about what happened yesterday?"

"I'll try," Lisa replied.

"Thank you," Patterson said kindly. "We appreciate you're willing to talk with us."

"We'd like to go over with you the details—as you can recall them—of yesterday afternoon when you were shot," Kavanaugh said. "Thanks to Drs. Cardinal and Borden, we have some idea, but we're hoping you can fill in the blanks."

"Okay," Lisa said with a slow nod. "What do you want to know?"

"Tell us about the drive in to Calgary," Kavanaugh started. "Did you notice anything strange or unusual during that drive?"

"Yes," Lisa answered after a brief moment of consideration. "Sort of."

"Explain what you mean by 'sort of', please," Kavanaugh said.

"There was someone riding a motorcycle who kept trying to pass," Lisa said.

"Can you describe this person?" asked Kavanaugh.

"Not really," Lisa replied. "The memory of it is hazy right now. I'm pretty sure he was wearing a helmet so I couldn't see his face, and I think he was wearing a black jacket."

"Was there anything else about that jacket that was distinctive? Logos? Patches?"

"No, sorry," Lisa said. "Either I'm not remembering, or there weren't any at all."

"Okay, thanks, Ms. Stillman," said Kavanaugh.

"Do you think you could perhaps tell us what kind of motorcycle he was riding?" Patterson asked.

Lisa shook her head once in the negative. "Honestly, I don't think I could. Sorry. I mean, maybe it was something on the sportier side? My grandson-in-law—that's Dr. Borden—had a Norton, and whatever this guy had didn't look anything like that bike. 'Sleek' is probably a word I'd use, but that is all I could say."

"What about the colour?"

Lisa closed her eyes and tried to remember if she had, in fact, seen anything distinctive about the bike. "Red, maybe?" she finally answered, opening her eyes to look again at Patterson. "I mostly saw it in my mirrors. I can't be positive. I'm sorry."

"All right, thanks for trying," Patterson said, her blue eyes showing a little disappointment. "Tell us instead a little more about your drive to Calgary. Is this something you do on a regular basis? What was your reason for heading there?"

"I belong to a private investors' group. I was heading for a meeting with them."

"Who knew you were going to be attending this meeting?" asked Patterson.

"Well," Lisa began thoughtfully, "besides my husband and our family members at Heartland—maybe a couple of my staff at Fairfield—only the members of the investors' group."

"Is this meeting a regularly scheduled thing?" Patterson asked. "Is there a specific reason your meeting was yesterday?"

"Yes, you see, we've, uh, lost a member recently," Lisa began, sucking in a ragged breath as she remembered Val, wincing slightly at the immediate discomfort in her side this activity brought.

"And who was this member?" asked Kavanaugh.

"The late Val Stanton," Lisa answered. "We were meeting because her son, Jesse, is interested in taking her place in the group. We were going to vote on his membership at this meeting."

This piqued Patterson's interest. "Were all the members keen on Jesse Stanton's admission to your group?"

"Oh, yes," Lisa replied. "It was really just a formality to vote him in. Jesse is fully in charge of Briar Ridge now that Val is gone. He'd like to continue her legacy with the group. Nobody in the group had any problem with that as far as I know."

"When was the last time you heard from Liam Comox?" asked Kavanaugh.

Lisa's brow buckled. "Liam Comox?" she repeated, surprised by the turn this line of questioning had taken. "I haven't seen him in years. Not since I fired him and reported him to the Steward's Office."

Kavanaugh continued: "Has he been in touch with you since? Any phone calls? Threatening letters? Emails?"

"No," Lisa said, wondering how on earth these detectives even knew about her former jockey. "Nothing like that at all."

"Thanks, Ms. Stillman," Kavanaugh said.

Patterson jumped in again. "Ms. Stillman, I'm going to ask a very difficult question now: are you and your husband having any marital issues?"

The shock that registered on her face should have been enough of a clue for the law enforcement officers they had taken the wrong tack, but Lisa responded anyway:

"Most certainly not," she said emphatically.

"I know we touched on this earlier when you spoke to us about Val Stanton's habit of 'flirting' with your husband, but have there been any infidelity issues in the past we should know about, on either side?" Patterson pressed.

"Zero," Lisa said in a clipped tone.

"You and Dan Hartfield were previously married," Kavanaugh stated in a matter-of-fact manner. "Why did that relationship end in divorce?"

"If you're really asking if Jack Bartlett had anything to do with my divorce, the answer is 'no'," Lisa said, trying not to lose her temper. "My relationship with Dan ended because he was a lousy husband and was more interested in what I brought to the table for our business interests. I hadn't even met Jack when I was married to Dan."

"Then would you say your divorce was an amicable one?" asked Patterson.

"Mostly, yes," Lisa replied honestly. "We remained business partners afterwards, and we're still very civil to each other."

"Do you have a will, Ms. Stillman?"

Lisa suspected this question might be coming, but was still taken aback when Det. Kavanaugh asked it.

"Yes, I do," she answered, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"And who's the main beneficiary?"

"My husband, Jack Bartlett."

"How much does he stand to inherit?"

"Everything."

"On paper, you're worth millions in assets, Ms. Stillman," said Patterson. "Let's be frank—"

"Yes, let's, " Lisa said, growing more indignant these officers were insinuating Jack might be the reason she was lying in this hospital bed.

"I want to emphasize right now that you're safe with us, Ms. Stillman, and we can make sure you stay that way if what happened to you is domestic in nature," Patterson said earnestly before asking the next question. "Do you think your husband is behind this attempt on your life?"

"Absolutely not," Lisa stated, her eyes burning like coals. A knot of discomfort bordering on nausea was gathering in the pit of her stomach and her head was starting to pound.

"You seem very confident of that," Kavanaugh said, noting her shift in tone and demeanour. "It has not escaped our notice you're significantly younger than your husband—"

"Look, if you think my husband is some kind of murderous gold-digger," Lisa interrupted tersely, sending both detectives a piercing glare, "let me make something perfectly clear: I am the one who pursued Jack. I am the one who wanted to get married. It took him nearly seven years to ask the right way, but I can assure you he wasn't after my money, and he still isn't. In fact, he is uncomfortable with the notion he'll have to deal with Fairfield if anything happens to me."

"Noted," Kavanaugh commented with a curt nod.

Lisa exhaled in relief the cops were unable to make their suspicions about Jack stick. This respiratory action again resulted in another localized jab of pain in her side.

"Thank you for giving us your honest answers, Ms. Stillman," Patterson said. "Can you think of anyone either in your personal life or your professional life who might want to harm you?"

"None," Lisa said.

"Think carefully, please," Patterson said.

"I'm sorry, I really can't," Lisa responded, losing all patience with this interview. "I just don't think I've ever made someone upset enough to want to do this to me."

Patterson smiled wryly. "All right, thank you for trying. I can see this isn't an easy thing to think about."

"Is that everything, detectives?" Lisa asked, barely hiding her discomfort now. "I'm suddenly feeling really tired and really lousy, and I think my pain meds are starting to wear off."

"We are for now," Kavanaugh said, looking to his partner. "We may have more questions later. Thank you for your cooperation."

"You're welcome," Lisa managed to articulate, though she was now bordering on retching while the headache was beginning to feel like a C-clamp screwed around her skull.

"We wish you a speedy recovery," Patterson said as she and Kavanaugh stood to leave. "If you remember anything else from that day, or if something new occurs to you that you didn't mention, please call us immediately."

"All right," Lisa managed to say.

"You still have our cards?" Kavanaugh asked.

"At my office."

"Here they are again," Kavanaugh said, as the two cops placed them on the bedside table.

"Thanks," Lisa said, not bothering to even look at the contact information as Kavanaugh and Patterson slipped out of the room. All she wanted now was to have Jack with her again and to close her eyes and rest.

They're only doing their jobs, one part of her mind argued. You know they had to ask those questions about Jack. She let out a slow breath in frustrated anger. But Jack would never hurt me! She argued back. But they don't know that, the other side rebutted. Lisa wore a frown as she contemplated this. She hated to think her husband would be the target of a misguided investigation into who had actually tried to end her life. What a complete waste of time and resources if they start hounding Jack. I need to do something about this...

***

Jack watched Kavanaugh and Patterson exit Lisa's room. They're done, he thought in relief.

"I'm heading back in to be with her," he said to Amy. "Thanks for bringing me here. Are you okay to ask Ty to come get you? You don't have to stay, and this is really no place for Lyndy to be for any length of time. I'll be okay to drive myself home later."

"Are you sure?" asked Amy looking at him carefully.

"Positive," Jack replied.

"Okay. I'll call Ty," Amy said, pulling out her cell. "Tell Lisa we're all so happy she's going to be okay."

"I will," said Jack. "'Bye for now. See you later tonight."

He stepped back inside Lisa's room and immediately noticed her low spirits.

"Hey, are you all right?"

"Not really," Lisa said in a low whisper.

"What did those cops say to you?" Jack asked with concern.

"I... I don't really want to talk about that now," Lisa said weakly, her stomach still unsettled and her head still aching. She also intuited Jack would be upset if he heard about the kinds of questions that had been asked of him. He had already been through so much in the past 24 hours, she wanted to spare him.

"Hey, did I tell you it was Ty and Scott who found you out on the road?"

She looked at him in surprise. "No," she uttered, face brightening despite her current miserable state.

Jack nodded. "They were coming back into town. They saw your Porsche and stopped right away. They saved your life, Lis."

"My angels," Lisa whispered. "Please tell them I say 'thank you.'"

"Well, you can tell them yourself when we bust you out of this joint," Jack said with a grin.

Lisa cracked a small smile. "Yes, I suppose I can."

"There's that smile I was hoping to see," Jack murmured happily, brushing his fingertips on her cheek.

"I think I need a nap," Lisa said.

"Then go ahead and have a nap," Jack said. "I'll be right here with you."

"Thanks," Lisa whispered, as her eyes drifted shut again.

Jack simply sat and watched while she dozed, hopeful the worst was behind them.

***

Hudson Police Headquarters

"Lisa Stillman was quite adamant her husband had nothing to do with her shooting," Kavanaugh said during their debrief with Parker of their interview with Lisa.

"She has had no contact from Liam Comox, and she could not name any other potential threats in her life," Patterson added.

"Hmm," Parker hummed with a frown.

"The only other connection we've come up with so far that links Stanton and Stillman is one Dan Hartfield," Patterson said.

"And all three of them belong to some investors' group that was meeting in Calgary yesterday," said Kavanaugh.

A knock on the door brought the conversation to a halt.

"Come in," Parker called.

"Chief," Constable Becket said, opening the door, "there's a man named Dan Hartfield who's demanding to see you."

"Speak of the devil," Kavanaugh muttered under his breath.

"What's this about Hartfield wanting to see me? What's his problem?" Parker asked, irritated at having been interrupted.

"The man's a nervous wreck," Becket responded. "He says he heard about what happened yesterday to Lisa Stillman. He says he thinks his life is in danger, too."

"Oh, does he, now?" Parker said, considering this piece of information. "Did Hartfield provide any proof to support that idea?"

"From what he's told me, he pointed to the fact that all the shooting victims in Hudson so far—Stanton and Stillman—were all part of some private investors' group he happens to belong to," Becket said. "He thinks there might be, and I quote, 'a hit list', and that he thinks he could be next."

"Patterson; Kavanaugh, go have a talk with him," Parker commanded. "See what he has to say for himself and this little investors' group... and why he thinks there might be a 'hit list', as he calls it."

"You got it, Boss," Kavanaugh said, as both he and Patterson made a hasty exit.

***

"Where's Chief Parker?" Dan asked upon seeing Kavanaugh and Patterson enter the room in which he was asked to wait.

"Busy," Kavanaugh said evasively. "We'll take your statement."

Dan scowled. "Okay, fine," he said. "As long as you take this right to him."

"If what you tell us is worth mentioning, we will," Kavanaugh commented dryly. "Now, we understand you have reason to believe your life is in danger?"

"Yes!" Dan exclaimed. "You need to believe me when I tell you someone is out to get the members of an investors' group I belong to. Someone out there obviously has a hit list, and he's already taken out three of us!"

"Three of you?" Patterson asked, surprised by this revelation.

"Yes! Please listen to me," Dan begged. "My life and all our lives in that group could be in danger."

Moved by Dan's palpable sense of fear, Patterson said, "Fine. Tell us everything you can."

Later

"So Hartfield insists Val Stanton and Lisa Stillman were targets because of this investors' group they all belong to?" Parker said during his debriefing with Kavanaugh and Patterson following their interview with Dan Hartfield.

"He also brought up one that was not on our radar because it happened up in Calgary over a year ago, and it was listed as a home invasion-robbery gone wrong," Patterson said. "Husband and wife by the name of Lanny and Paige Barick."

"I remember hearing about that one," said Parker, growing serious. "Get me a list with all names of all those investors, pronto!"

"Hartfield already did. It's right here." Patterson passed a piece of paper to the chief that Dan had provided.

"This is the full list?" asked Parker after reading the contents.

"Affirmative."

"Barick, Stanton, and Stillman have all been hit," Parker said. "Hartfield is convinced he could be next. These other names: Stanley Belmont, Fred Garland, Tanner Gunn, Emma Fitzroy, Jesse Stanton, and Connor Wiebe... If Hartfield thinks someone is offing the members of this group, we have a lot of ground to cover."

"Chief," Patterson said slowly, "when Kavanaugh and I were questioning Stillman at the hospital earlier today, she mentioned the reason she was heading into Calgary that afternoon was to vote on Jesse Stanton's admission into the group."

"You think there's some connection between that event and all the shootings?" Parker asked.

Patterson shrugged. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "Stillman seemed to think Jesse's membership was pretty much a done deal, so maybe not."

"Another point worth mentioning: Hartfield had been romantically involved with Stanton, and he and Stillman used to be married to each other," Kavanaugh said. "He doesn't stand to gain anything if Stillman is out of the picture—nothing we've uncovered yet, anyway."

"Interesting," Parker murmured, wearing a pensive expression. "Think there's a life insurance policy he's kept up all these years?"

"Could be," Kavanaugh responded. "Jesse Stanton seemed to think Hartfield was just as rich as his mother, if not more so. But maybe if we go digging, we'll find Hartfield is strapped for cash. Could be motive to want Stillman out of the way, at least, and this whole 'hit list' thing is a smokescreen."

"It's worth looking into," Parker said. "We know Stillman and Hartfield maintained business ties after they divorced, but this little private investors' group... I want the team to dig a bit into their activity, too. See if we can find any reasons why someone would want to bump off the members, just in case Hartfield isn't just being paranoid."

"Yes, sir," Kavanaugh said. "We're on it."

***

Upon arriving at Maggie's, Tim immediately fielded questions from several of the regulars as to how Lisa was doing. He was able to pass along the happy news she was awake and on the way to recovery in the hospital.

"Oh, my gosh, I'm so glad you came in today, Tim," Jade Virani said in a rush, catching him between taking an order to the kitchen and picking one up. "Small-town gossip is insane. Everyone in here's been talking about what happened to Lisa."

"Well, she's awake now and doing a lot better," Tim said. "So whatever they've been saying can stop."

"You don't get it, Tim," Jade said, eyes shifting around the diner. "Some of your loyal customers are saying some totally dumb sh—uh, things."

"Yeah? Like what?" Tim ventured to ask.

Jade sidled up closer to him and in a conspiratorial whisper said: "Stupid stuff like maybe Jack did it so he could make it rich off Lisa's will."

"That's ridiculous," Tim snapped in a heated tone.

"I know," Jade said, "but it's what some people are saying."

Tim let out a breath in exasperation, also taking a quick glance around at all the patrons sitting at the tables and squeezed into booths.

How can they think Jack could be capable of doing that to Lisa? The thought was preposterous, yet, some of these so-called loyal customers evidently could not resist proposing the worst theories possible.

"Okay, get back to work, Jade," Tim urged. "We're not paying you to stand around. But if you hear anyone else saying they think Jack somehow wanted to get Lisa out of the way, you and the rest of the staff have my permission to deny them service. Better yet, kick 'em out and tell 'em not to come back."

Jade's mouth twisted into a conniving smile. "Can I just spit in their food, instead?" she joked rhetorically, and continued on to the kitchen.

***

That same day, a phone call took place between two people.

"We've got a problem. Lisa Stillman just woke up," the first voice uttered.

"'We', Kemosabe?" the other voice spat in derision, followed by a barrage of profanity. "You absolute idiot! It was foolhardy to go after Stillman when you did, but you got impatient!"

"C'mon, man, you know I'm running out of time. Help me fix this. If it wasn't for me, you would never have had access to—"

"Yeah, yeah, fine," the second voice interjected with annoyance. "But you've just used up all the currency you earned with that one, understand? No more favours. No more unauthorized moves. We lie low now for the next little while, got it?"

"Yeah, I got it."

"Good. And listen: if those vets become a problem—"

"Don't worry; I'll take care of them," the first voice said.

"I was hoping you'd say that, since you're the reason they might be a problem in the first place!"

***

Later that same afternoon, a new conversation took place between two individuals that would have been of great interest to Chief Parker and his team of investigators. Unfortunately, those law enforcement officers were unaware it was happening, and were therefore unable to act upon it.

"Is your man still in Hudson?"

"Yeah, probably. He says he likes the scenery and he likes bear hunting. I hear there's been some sightings around those parts lately."

"Tell him to forget the freakin' bears. I've got a different quarry for him again—of the human variety. This one's a bit of a clean-up job. I'm counting on your guy to finish it right."

"'Clean-up', eh?"

"Yeah. The first attempt was seriously botched."

"I'm insulted you didn't contact me for the job in the first place."

"Heh. If it had been my call, I would have brought your man in again for this one. But I have a maverick who thought he could take matters into his own hands. Went off, half-cocked, and left me with this mess."

"I see. Give me the details and he'll get it done. "

"The target is currently a patient in the South Calgary Health Campus. Her name is Lisa Stillman. I'll send you a picture, as usual. I really don't care how it's done; your man just needs to make her dead, and he needs to make it happen before she can be discharged. The sooner, the better."

"Hmm. The hospital is risky. Too many cameras, too much security, and too many people crawling around. My guy will want extra. Call it 'danger pay'."

"How much extra?"

"Ten grand."

"Done. And when he's through offing Stillman, tell him to stick around Hudson for a little while longer. I have a feeling there might be a couple other loose ends for him to tie up."

"Fine. The more, the merrier!"

***

After contacting Rachel Stillman in Montreal and Peter in Vancouver, Lou was finally able to reach Lisa's aunt, who was currently enjoying a cruise of the Mediterranean. The woman did not mind the late call, and had been anxious for word on her niece's condition.

"Do you need me to come out to Alberta?" Evelyn asked. "I can get off at the next port of call and arrange a flight."

"No, Evelyn, you can stay right where you are for now," Lou said calmly. "Lisa's out of the ICU. There's no need to come rushing back."

"Are you sure?" Evelyn's husky voice was filled with worry.

"I'm sure," Lou said. "We'll call if anything changes."

"All right. Tell her I love her, will you, please, Lou? I hope those doctors and nurses are taking very good care of her."

"I'm sure they are," Lou said. "'Bye for now."

***

With Georgie's excused absence from school, Adam and Wyatt paid a call on their friend, both to get her up to speed on missed schoolwork, and for moral support.

Georgie, however, was interested in neither. Her mind was turned to matters of justice.

"Adam, what's the latest on your father's investigation into what's happened to Lisa?" she asked, as soon as homework was delivered along with the expected but nonetheless welcome words of concern from the boys.

"Sorry, Georgie," Adam said with a slow shake of his head. "My dad can't share details with me about an active case."

"Oh," Georgie said with a disappointed pout.

"But that doesn't mean we can't do some investigating of our own," Adam added.

"What—do we look like the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew to you?" Wyatt quipped.

Georgie made a face; Wyatt took the cue and quieted himself.

"Seriously, though," Adam said, "I have some theories."

"Like?" Georgie asked.

"Like the fact this is the second shooting to happen in Hudson where both victims were women who were in the horse business," Adam said plainly.

"Doesn't prove anything," Wyatt rejoined. "A lot of people in this town are in the horse business. It's, like, all you see around here. I mean, this town is practically built on equine-this and rodeo-that."

"Yeah, but not all of those businesses are as high-end as Briar Ridge and Fairfield," Adam pointed out. "They have some pretty exclusive clients. They're high profile. I've done some preliminary research. Fairfield is pretty famous in horse-racing circles, and not just in Canada. The same goes for Briar Ridge for showjumping."

"You think someone deliberately targeted Val Stanton and Lisa because of their high profiles in the equestrian business?" Georgie asked, stunned at what Adam was suggesting.

Adam calmly responded, "It's possible."

Wyatt snorted. "So, what—you think there's some psycho serial killer out there who's taking out women who train and breed horses for rich people?"

"No," Adam answered in his usual dry manner. "Serial killers tend to stick to a specific modus operandi. The news didn't provide a lot of details, but I've deduced Val Stanton was probably killed by a sniper with a rifle from a significant distance. Lisa Stillman was in her vehicle when she was shot, probably by someone with a handgun, and from close range. Val Stanton was shot once. Lisa Stillman was shot twice. Two completely different methods. It was clearly not the same person."

"Clearly," Wyatt said with a dubious shake of his head.

"Wait," Georgie said slowly, thinking now of the circumstances under which the Briar Ridge owner had died. "When Val was shot, she was riding Herring. Lisa had just lent him to Val so she could see if she wanted to buy him. What if—what if this has to do with Herring?"

"Why would someone kill someone else over a horse?" Wyatt sounded unconvinced.

Adam stared at Georgie. "How valuable is Herring?"

"Oh, I-I don't know," Georgie considered. "But Lisa's horses aren't cheap stock. He could easily be worth one hundred thousand, or more."

"A hundred thousand?!" Wyatt sputtered. "As in dollars? For a horse? You could buy a couple slick new cars for that amount."

"Not only that," Georgie said, looking between her two friends. "Olympic showjumping horses can be worth millions. And that's just the price of the horse. Stud fees is where the real money is for breeders like Lisa."

"'Stud fees'?" Wyatt echoed in confusion.

"You know, horse breeding?" Georgie said, searching his face for signs of comprehension.

"Whoa. People pay for that?" Wyatt exclaimed. "You mean, it doesn't just, like, happen? 'Born free'?"

Georgie rolled her eyes; Adam ignored his pal. "Georgie, what else can you tell me about this horse?"

"Um, not much, really. Lisa planned to have Herring as a hunter-jumper for when she goes on those faux fox hunts they do with the club. Then Val said she might be interested. Lisa's nephew's horse was the sire. I'm sorry; that's all I know." She shook her head while shrugging helplessly.

"See if you can figure anything else out," Adam advised. "There's got to be something special about him. He's still here at Heartland, right?"

"Right," Georgie replied. "We've kept him here since he belongs to Lisa, after all."

"You might want to consider keeping a close eye on him," Adam warned.

"Why? You think someone might try to steal him?" Georgie asked, suddenly uneasy at what Adam seemed to be suggesting.

"Maybe," Adam answered. "Right now, anything is possible, and Herring appears to be the only thing linking Val and Lisa."

***

South Calgary Health Campus

Despite wanting to stay awake, Jack eventually nodded off, emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion taking over. The turmoil of the past 24 hours soon played havoc on his dreamscape as phantom manifestations of Chief Parker and his investigators interrogated him about what happened to Lisa.

"Do you own any firearms?" the dream-Parker asked menacingly.

"A rifle," Jack replied, thinking Parker already knew the answer anyway.

"Does Lisa have a will?"

Jack knew he had to answer honestly. "Yes. Of course she does."

"And who's the beneficiary?" Parker asked.

"Well, I am," Jack replied.

The faces of the dream versions of Kavanaugh and Patterson seemed full of condemnation.

"But... that's all to ensure my—our—grandchildren and great-grandchildren will inherit the Fairfield property and business," Jack said, wanting to make them understand.

"I see," dream-Parker said, writing down notes on a notepad.

"Look, I don't expect to out-live my wife," Jack said, trying to keep his temper in check. "That will she made... she made it when she was worried about a possible health issue a couple years ago. It turned out to be nothing, thank goodness, and heaven knows I don't want to be saddled with a horseracing outfit. Lisa knows that. She was thinking of the kids, not of me."

"Mr. Bartlett, do you own a motorcycle?" Kavanaugh asked.

"No," Jack replied. "But my grandson-in-law does. A Norton." Wait, no, he doesn't, some part of Jack's brain argued. He sold it, remember?

"Mr. Bartlett, you're under arrest for the murder of your wife, Lisa Stillman," Parker said, reaching for a pair of handcuffs.

"Wait!" Jack shouted, fear building up inside him. "I didn't kill her! She's still alive! She's still alive!"

"Jack?"

Jack awoke with a start at the sound of Lisa's voice.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Jack opened his eyes. Lisa was staring at him with a puzzled expression. "Hmph," he muttered. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You were shouting in your sleep, honey," Lisa said.

Jack grimaced. "Uh, I had a bad dream."

"Want to tell me about it?"

"Not really," he answered, rubbing his face. The fear that had coursed through him when the dream version of Chief Parker was about to arrest him was already receding. "It was just stupid, irrational stuff. Didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's okay," Lisa said with a tired nod and a yawn. Her eyelids flickered shut and she drifted off to sleep again.

Jack sat himself straight up in his chair and resolved to stay awake this time, lest he slip back into another bad dream. Thank God that nightmare is over.

***

Chapter 8: Hunter and the Hunted

#Heartland #Heartland fanfiction #JISA fanfiction #my fanfiction #Bad Business #A Heartland Murder Mystery #Jack Bartlett #Amy Fleming #Tim Fleming #Lisa Stillman #Lou Fleming #Georgie Fleming Morris #Adam Parker #Wyatt #Chief Parker #Dan Hartfield #Aunt Evelyn #Jade Virani #nadir jutley

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the-real-tc · 2 years

Text

(Read the PROLOGUE here)

Chapter 1: Calm Before the Storm

"Ready to go?"

Amy looked up at her husband. "All set," she replied, taking in Ty's slim build in a nicely tailored suit.

"You look great, by the way," Ty complimented her, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Thank you," Amy said with a smile, basking in his words of admiration. "You don't look so bad yourself, Dr. Borden."

Ty grinned back. "I'll carry Lyndy down to the house and catch up with you in the truck, okay?"

"Sure."

"Come on, kid," Ty whispered to the sleeping child, "let's get you down to your Grandpa Tim and cousin Katie." He gently lifted Lyndy from the crib, making sure to bring the stuffed rabbit Grandma Lily had given as a gift.

Amy listened to Ty's retreating steps as he descended the loft stairs into the barn below. The late March evening was mild enough that she would not need a heavy winter coat over her evening dress, as Hudson was enjoying a welcome dose of spring-like weather. A minute later, she was outside, opening the passenger-side door to their truck.

A similarly dressed-up Jack and Lisa waved to them across the yard before climbing into Lisa's Porsche. Both couples would be heading into town to attend a celebration hosted by Dr. Scott Cardinal; Lou and Georgie had gone ahead a few hours before. The party was going to be a small one, but Amy figured dressing up felt good for a change.

Ever since Scott hired Cassandra, now married to Ty's best friend Caleb, Amy had regarded the other woman as a threat. First, for Ty's affections—however irrational that fear—then for his job and position as partner at the veterinary clinic. As Ty drove down the familiar track and under the gallows gate, the thought crossed Amy's mind that she could not pinpoint the moment she ceased thinking of Cass as a rival. Somewhere along the way, the two had managed to forge a bond, and tried to carve out time in their busy schedules to socialize. The fact Cass and Caleb were Lyndy's godparents was a testament to that friendship.

"How did Cass react to the news?" Amy asked her husband.

"Like she was on cloud nine," Ty replied with a wide smile. "Practically floated out the door at the end of her shift when Scott told her last week."

"Well, I'm glad for her," said Amy, smiling at the mental image of an ecstatic Cassandra. "Not that I'm complaining, but I've been wondering: how can Scott afford having two partners now?"

"I'm not really supposed to say anything about it yet," Ty said, "but a group of local investors stepped in. They're interested in supporting businesses in Hudson, especially since so many of them had a rough time recovering after the flooding back in 2013... Anyway, somehow Scott's clinic came to their attention. Apart from run-of-the-mill puppy and kitty stuff, you know he's got steady work with the Polo Club."

"Right," Amy said with a slight nod.

"He's Tim's go-to guy at the rodeo school, and Hillhurst picked him for their on-call veterinarian, too," Ty added. "Plus, he's most likely going to be getting that coveted position of resident veterinarian at Spruce Meadows. So, things are looking really good for him and his new investors."

"I'm happy things are working out for him," Amy said. "He's come such a long way from the day Clint brought him to Heartland and Mom sponsored him."

"Yeah, he's worked hard for it," Ty acknowledged. "Personally, I'm humbled to be part of it. He's a great boss."

"Partner," Amy corrected.

"Oh, he still signs the paycheques," Ty chortled. "But you're right. He's a good partner—and boss."

***

Jack noticed Lisa's unusually reticent demeanour on the drive in to Hudson. He guessed it had something to do with the one-year anniversary of the deaths of Lanny and Paige Barick, with whom she had been acquainted. There had been a memorial in Calgary for the couple along with a press conference earlier that day which Lisa attended. Family members gave an impassioned plea for justice and for closure to the whole tragic affair. Business friends and associates that included Lisa pledged a monetary reward in exchange for information leading to an arrest and conviction since all leads had gone cold.

Though a year had gone by, the fact no one had been apprehended in the crime weighed heavily on the hearts and minds of all who knew Lanny and Paige. The case hit even closer to home, as Lou had been questioned by Calgary detectives about her role dealing with Lanny's investment portfolio. There had not been any irregularities Lou could identify from her end, and the law enforcement officers moved on to different avenues of investigation.

Instead of letting Lisa stew in her silence, Jack chose to pay her a compliment as a way of breaking the ice. On more than one occasion he had been compelled to call her out on not confiding in him when she could have used his emotional support.

"If I haven't already said so tonight, you look beautiful," he said, gently rubbing her knee.

This brought a quick smile to her face. She cast a brief, sideways glance in his direction. The sound of his voice and that simple touch had the much-needed effect of lifting her out of her pensive mood. Jack was right: the reminder about Lanny and Paige had upset her more than she was willing to admit. Her mind had been occupied with the way police had initially been tight-lipped about the investigation, and how the rumour mill had churned out all kinds of wild, sordid theories.

"Thank you," she managed to reply, dragging her thoughts back to the present moment. "You don't look so bad yourself, Cowboy." She adored how handsome and dignified he looked in the combination of the suit she had custom-made for him, bolo tie, and pristine white hat. He cut an impressive figure with his height and his build. While he would be considered a senior in terms of chronological age, Jack Bartlett was far from a stereotypical frail and doddering old man. "I know you don't like getting dressed up, but I'm glad you did."

"Well, when my gorgeous wife goes to the trouble of getting dolled-up for a celebration, I guess I have to make sure her husband isn't the goat in the room."

The two of them shared a light laugh at his old, personal self-deprecating description; Jack gave himself a mental pat on the back for managing to lighten Lisa's mood. Now he could be assured they would enjoy the evening without some dark cloud hanging overhead.

"I think it's a fine thing you and those other investors have done for the vet clinic," Jack said, sensing he could now talk freely about any topic. He did not know all the details, but was marginally aware of Lisa's involvement in the group's decision to boost Scott's operating capital.

"Scott has done so much for so many people in Hudson, including Fairfield," Lisa commented. "He was a safe investment; a total no-brainer. And now that he can afford to bring Cassandra on as a partner, I think Ty feels better about his own choice to cut back on his hours there to build his practice with Amy at Heartland. Everybody wins in this one."

Jack was brimming with pride. "You just think of everything, don't you?"

"At least when it comes to the people I love."

***

Maggie's Diner, though by no means high-class in terms of decor or dining fare, was Scott's choice in venue for the small celebration. After all, as he put it, he had "an in" with the owner, and Lou was only too happy to oblige his request.

The guest of honour stood with Caleb; the happy pair were chatting with a few other guests when the Bartlett-Fleming-Borden clan arrived.

"Cassandra, congratulations on making partner at the clinic!" Amy declared upon seeing the other woman, moving in for a friendly hug.

"Thank you!" Cass said, beaming. She accepted the embrace before returning to her husband's side. Caleb mirrored her smile as he snaked his arm around her waist.

At the appropriate time in the evening's festivities, Scott took to the small stage area, palmed the microphone, and began reading from a speech he had prepared.

"I'd like to thank all of you for coming tonight," he started. "I've been so lucky to be able to mentor such a great young veterinarian like Cassandra. I'll say a few words about her, in case some of you don't know. She's not only an excellent veterinary surgeon, but she also specializes in veterinary acupuncture, a procedure you would have had to go to Calgary for if you wanted it—before she started working with me."

Light applause ensued, and Cassandra gave a demure smile at this praise.

"Let's not forget all the crappy graveyard and weekend shifts; all the thankless times she picked up the slack when my other partner took side-trips to Mongolia and B.C. with Vets Without Borders…" Scott continued. "Make no mistake: she's more than paid her dues. It's not always easy running a 'country' vet practice. But having Cass on staff is a fantastic asset, and I wish I could have made her a full partner sooner. Now, thanks to our new private investors, I can finally afford it!"

Scott glanced over at Lisa with a broad smile at that moment. She sent a wink in tacit reply. Few would have known she was attending the party not only as a long-time client and friend, but also as the official representative of the investor's group that made Cassandra's partnership fiscally possible.

"Please put your hands together to congratulate my newest Hudson Veterinary Clinic partner, Dr. Cassandra Fay Odell!"

Cass basked in the adulation.

Someone called "Speech!" which was followed by a few guffaws. But Cass seemed game, so she boldly approached Scott on the small stage. He passed the microphone to her outstretched hand before bringing her in for a hug.

"Thank you, Scott," she said as she looked out among those gathered. "This has been an amazing evening, and I am so proud to be working for such a great mentor and boss. I love my job, and I am thrilled to be accepted into the practice as a full partner."

Polite applause followed these words, but Cass was not finished.

"Scott mentioned his other partner—Dr. Ty Borden. For those of you who don't know, he's the adventurer of our little veterinary trio. He's been to far-flung places with names I can't even pronounce with Vets Without Borders. We started out as pretty fierce competitors, but over the years, Ty and his wife Amy have become close friends with me and my husband, Caleb.

"In fact, we're godparents to their little girl, Lyndy. This is particularly meaningful to me and Caleb, because we've been trying to start a family for a while but haven't really been having much success. Watching Lyndy grow from babyhood into the adorable toddler she is has been a real joy."

Amy and Ty grinned up at Cass, though the rest of the party-goers were starting to wonder where this discussion was leading.

"Now, there's a tiny announcement that needs to be made," Cass continued. "Amy and Ty were a little concerned that this announcement would have stolen my thunder, but I told them it would be a perfect opportunity, since we're here with so many friends and loved ones, so... Amy; Ty, get on up here."

Ty grasped Amy's hand to lead her up towards Cass. Lisa glanced up at Jack as if to ask What's going on? but he seemed equally puzzled; Georgie and Lou likewise shrugged at each other.

"Uh, thanks, Cass," Ty shyly spoke into the mike before passing it to Amy.

"Stay up here, Cass," Amy said to her friend. "Anyway, it's so good to see all of you here tonight; our family members and good friends. It's actually a double-announcement, by the way."

Ty leaned close to the mike and added: "Yeah, Cass talked about our little girl, Lyndy, who's now nearly two years old and growing bigger every day."

"So, the reason we're up here is to tell you all that we are, in fact, going to be having another baby," Amy said, as Ty draped an arm around her shoulders.

Applause filled the diner, with Jack, Lisa, Lou and Georgie staring up at the young couple in happy wonder.

"But like Amy said, it's really a double-announcement," Ty uttered when the clapping petered out. "Caleb, man, you need to get up here."

"Get up there?" a confused Caleb repeated. "Why?"

"Just get up here, you goof," Cass called.

"All right," he said, dazedly walking up to his wife.

Cass took the microphone from Amy while smiling slyly at her husband. "I mentioned before Caleb and I were hoping to start a family," she began to tell the crowd. "Well, it looks like the Bordens and the Odells will have to start planning for a joint baby shower, because I'm pregnant, too!"

"Whoa!" Caleb cawed as a million-watt smile brightened his face. "Babe, so that's why you've been so secretive this week... and I thought it was all about your partnership announcement. But this announcement is even better."

"It is!" Cass replied, matching his smile, and the couple shared a deep kiss, which resulted in more clapping, hooting, and cheering from the crowd.

***

Chapter 2: For Better

#heartland #heartland fanfiction #my fanfiction #Bad Business: A Heartland Murder Mystery #Chapter 1: Calm Before the Storm #JISA #JISA fanfiction #Amy Fleming #Ty Borden #Jack Bartlett #Lisa Stillman #Lou Fleming #Georgie Fleming-Morris #Scott Cardinal #Caleb Odell #Cassandra Fay Odell #Maggie's Diner

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the-real-tc · 2 years

Text

Bad Business Ch. 6: Fragile

To the childless wife he gives a home, and gladdens her heart with children.

- Ps. 113

***

Chapter 6

Fragile

Ty had to hustle to keep pace with Jack after parking the truck as the older man nearly ran through the hospital Emergency entrance to reach the admittance desk.

"I'm Jack Bartlett," the cowboy said breathlessly to the nurse, not bothering with any pleasantries. "My wife, Lisa Stillman, was admitted here earlier by ambulance."

"Yes, please have a seat, Mr. Bartlett," the admitting nurse said. "I'll need you to wait until I can get one of the doctors to come see you."

"But," Jack said desperately, "is she okay?"

"I don't have an answer for you other than that she was taken in for surgery. Please, sit. I promise someone will be out to see you."

"Let's go, Jack," Ty said, putting a hand on Jack's arm to lead him to the chairs.

Obediently, Jack walked with Ty, still unable to process what had happened. He sank into an empty seat next to Ty, alternately cycling between acute rage, fear, and despair.

How? Why? Who could do such a thing to her?

Ty wanted to say some sort of words of encouragement, but after seeing for himself the extent of Lisa's injuries, he, too, feared the outcome might not be what any of them hoped for.

"We need to let the rest of the family know," Ty eventually uttered. "I'm just going to step outside. Be right back."

"Okay," Jack replied quietly.

With that, Ty retreated to the exit and pulled out his cell phone to call his wife, who this morning seemed to be in much better spirits than she had been since miscarrying. Now he would be calling with more bad news.

***

At around 4:00 p.m., Jack was finally greeted by one of the surgeons dressed in light blue scrubs. "Mr. Bartlett, I'm Dr. Perry," the middle-aged, bespectacled man said. "I'm the thoracic surgeon on call today."

"How's my wife doing, Doc?" asked Jack, trying to read the man's expression for any hint of what answer he should be prepared to expect. Ty bounded up next to him for support.

"She's alive, Mr. Bartlett," replied Dr. Perry.

Both Jack and Ty sighed in relief.

"Her injuries are still rather grave," Dr. Perry warned. "She was a twelve on the Glasgow Coma Scale when admitted, and—"

"Is-is that good or bad?" Jack interrupted, thinking the "Glasgow Coma Scale" thing sounded familiar, but could not remember if a twelve was a favourable number or not.

"Fifteen is optimal; anything lower than eight, not so much," Dr. Perry answered. "But a twelve isn't terrible, and means she's not comatose. We're mostly concerned about the internal injuries caused by the bullet to her side."

"Just tell it to me straight, Doc," Jack said. "Is she going to be okay?"

"She's still in what we'd call critical but stable condition. We're cautiously optimistic, Mr. Bartlett," Dr. Perry began. "There was a good deal of internal bleeding and we had to re-inflate a collapsed lung. We ascertained she was shot twice. One bullet perforated her left arm through the bicep. It penetrated her left side between her 8th and 9th ribs, nicked the intercostal arteries, skirted across the abdominal wall in a slightly downward trajectory and ended up lodged above her right pelvic bone. She has a tube in her side to facilitate drainage, and that will stay there until we're sure everything is clear.

"The damage to her left bicep was a clean through-and-through, and my colleagues and I don't anticipate any lasting effects or impairment. With time and physiotherapy, that arm should be just fine, but for now, we've got it immobilised and in a sling."

"Doc, what about the other bullet?" Jack asked.

"As near as we can determine, the second bullet hit her skull at an oblique angle and fortunately glanced off without penetrating," Dr. Perry said. "The impact still caused a hairline fracture. We were concerned there might be some brain swelling, but the CT scan showed that's not the case. We are seeing a small extradural hematoma and we're choosing a wait-and-see approach with that one. Sometimes, the body can absorb a small amount of blood in cases like these. We'd rather not have to go drilling into her skull to drain the blood between her skull and the dura mater—that's the tissue that surrounds the brain."

Perry noticed Jack's pained, pinched expression at the description of Lisa's litany of injuries.

"It could have been a lot worse, Mr. Bartlett," he said, trying to put a more positive face on things. "She's on oxygen and we'll keep her sedated in the ICU overnight, keeping a close eye on that lung and that skull fracture. The last thing she needs is for the lung to collapse again or for the hematoma to worsen."

"Can I see her, Doc?" Jack asked, hating that it sounded like he was begging.

"Ten minutes," Dr. Perry said. "She probably won't know you're there because of the heavy sedation, but..."

"Thank you," Jack said. He looked back at Ty.

"Go ahead," said Ty. "I haven't been able to reach Tim yet, so I'll hang back here and keep trying."

***

Jack was unprepared for how frail Lisa appeared lying in the hospital bed. For a second, he thought he was experiencing an attack of angina, but it was simply a sensation of his heart being torn apart at the sight of his beloved's critical condition.

"I'm here, Lis," he whispered as he slowly brought himself to a seated position beside her. "Though the Doc says you probably won't know it."

There was no response from Lisa, whose pale face and bandaged head remained motionless. Jack was encouraged, though, by the slow rise and fall of her chest.

I hate hospitals, Jack thought, fighting to suppress painful memories of when Lyndy was dying.

Moisture brimmed under Jack's eyelids. This cannot be happening. This is insane. Who did this to you? You have to pull through, Lis. You have to pull through, because I don't think my heart could take it if you didn't.

The ten minutes sped by much too quickly for Jack's liking as a nurse came to retrieve him. He reluctantly got to his feet to vacate the room, but not before planting a soft kiss on Lisa's cheek.

"Please come back to me," he whispered in parting. "I love you."

His ears ached to hear her endearing "I love you more". Instead the silence mocked him and chilled his heart as there was no response.

***

"I, uh, I was able to reach Tim. He's on his way," Ty said to Jack when they met up again in the waiting area.

"Good," Jack said. "Thanks. I think I'll stay here and wait. I want to be here when she wakes up."

Ty was encouraged that Jack said "when" and not "if".

"Okay," he said with a nod. "I'll stay, too, at least until Tim gets here."

Jack nodded tiredly.

"We'll get through this, Jack. She's made it this far, right?"

Jack nodded again. "Right."

***

An hour slipped by. Activity around the ICU flashed past without Jack's awareness. Patients were wheeled through the halls on gurneys by the porters; custodial crews cleaned; doctors and nurses filtered past. At some point, Ty went to find coffee and something to eat, items Jack barely tasted, but nevertheless consumed. Eventually, a familiar voice invaded his mental space. Up to that point, Jack's thoughts were fixated solely on Lisa, and what he would do if she did not pull through.

"Jack," Tim said upon spotting his ex-father-in-law. "What the hell happened? Ty said something about Lisa getting shot?"

Jack bobbed his head once in response.

"Well, do they know who did it?" Tim asked.

"No," Jack uttered darkly. "Some yahoo on the road."

"'Some yahoo'? That's all you got?!" Tim exclaimed.

"The police are investigating," Ty broke in. "I was there with Scott right after it happened."

Tim turned to look at Ty. "You were there? And you didn't see anything?"

Ty sighed. Having been over the scenario a hundred times in his own mind, it was exhausting to have to tell Tim now what he witnessed out on the road that afternoon after having told Chief Parker.

"Not really," Ty answered. "All we know is there was a guy on a motorbike shortly before we saw Lisa's Porsche in the ditch."

"That's it?" Tim snapped. "'A guy on a motorbike'."

"Pretty much."

"You saw a guy on a motorcycle?" Jack said in surprise. "You didn't tell me that."

"Sorry," Ty said. "It was so fast, Jack. I didn't really see anything clearly. I didn't want you to be torturing yourself thinking about it."

"Well, that's great! Super helpful," a sarcastic Tim said. "All we gotta do now is get a list of every guy in Hudson who rides a motorbike and say 'Hey, did you shoot Lisa Stillman?'"

"Tim..." Jack uttered. "Enough. Ty and Scott saved Lisa's life out there."

Tim sputtered incoherently for a few seconds before simmering down. "So now what?" he finally said.

"We wait," Jack said simply, feeling totally drained.

"I'm gonna head back to Heartland," Ty said.

"Go ahead, Ty," Jack said. "Thank you for everything you did today. For Lisa."

"Of course," Ty said. "Call us if there's any change, okay?"

"Yeah, I will."

With that, Ty left Jack and Tim.

"Thank you for coming," Jack eventually said to his ex-son-in-law after Tim sat down in the chair vacated by Ty.

Tim's expression softened. "You're welcome."

Several beats of silence passed, interrupted by the occasional public address system announcements. Hospital staff continued to go about their duties.

"You doing okay?" Tim eventually asked.

"No," Jack's voice cracked, rough as sandpaper and choked with emotion. "I can't lose her, Tim."

Tim clamped his lips shut, unsure of what to say or do next. His ex-father-in-law had certainly seen more than his fair share of loss; now this. He reached out a hand and laid it on Jack's shoulder in an act of solidarity and, hopefully, comfort.

***

Ty could have sworn his boots' soles were made of lead weights. Every step he took as he ascended the stairs to the loft was slow and painstaking. Amy was waiting for him. She sprang up from the couch as soon as she saw the top of his head.

"Ty," she said, voice halting. She knew her recent avoidance of him had hurt; knew no explanation for that would suffice, but now they had to pull together if they were going to make it through this latest crisis.

"Amy," Ty replied unsteadily, unsure of her emotional state. Would she welcome the sight of him, or reject him as she had lately?

But she approached him without hesitation, taking him in her arms for a quick hug. She stepped back and looked at his haunted expression. She smoothed back his hair before bringing his face to hers and kissing his mouth firmly. Amy felt him relax as he wrapped his own arms around her, silently begging for a deeper kiss, which she obliged.

"I'm so sorry for pushing you away after—"

"I know, Amy," Ty responded swiftly. "I know all that was hard on you." It was hard on me, too.

"But I didn't have to push you away like I did. Not after all we've been through," Amy said, looking into his green eyes. She gave a sad laugh. "You'd think I would have learned by now, but I was so afraid."

"Afraid of what, Amy?" Ty asked, pained to hear the tremor of fear in her voice.

"That you'd blame me for losing the baby."

"Blame you?" a grieved Ty uttered. "I could never. It wasn't your fault. Don't ever think it was your fault."

"I know that," she said in a rush. "I know. But I was afraid you'd blame me, anyway. That maybe you would think I was working too hard; not taking it easy with the client horses; taking too many risks by choosing to ride this time."

"I did not think any of those things," Ty said, taking her in his arms again, wanting with all his might to drive away her misplaced guilt. "All I could think about was how grateful I was that you were going to be okay; that I hadn't lost you, too; that Lyndy was still going to have both her mother and father in her life."

When they finally broke apart, Amy took in his handsome face again. There was still some pain he was trying to conceal, but she could sense it did not have to do with their own situation; that was already starting to heal.

"Ty, h-how bad is Lisa?"

He turned away from her at that point, wanting to spare her the details of what he had seen and experienced on the side of the road that afternoon.

"Ty?" Amy spoke again, the tremor returning to her voice.

Ty sank into the leather seat Amy had once bought him for an early birthday present, giving rest to his weary feet on the ottoman. "Not good."

Her eyes went wide. "What does that mean?" Ty was never one to sugar-coat anything, but those unnerving words were hard to digest.

He stared into his lap for a few moments before raising his eyes to meet hers.

"She was hurt pretty badly," Ty said dully. "She could die. Scott and I, we did what we could. Then the paramedics got there, and they did what they could. I don't know if it was enough. I mean, the surgeon used the phrase 'cautiously optimistic', but... They've got her in the ICU. Any number of things could still go wrong."

"But who could have done something like this?" Amy questioned, seating herself on the sofa. "When you called and told me, I couldn't believe it."

"I know. It's crazy."

"And you didn't see anybody on the road?" Amy asked, suddenly gripped with the wild, possibly irrational fear he might have seen Lisa's assailant—and if so, would that person now want to silence Ty in order to avoid identification and arrest?

Ty looked up before giving his head a long shake in the negative. "I told Chief Parker the only other person we saw was a guy on a motorbike. He nearly ran into Scott, in fact. We were just coming over a hill, and there he was, right in our lane."

Amy let out a small gasp. "You don't think that that was Lisa's shooter, do you?"

"Chief Parker asked the same question. I honestly have no idea. Maybe. I didn't see a gun. But right before we avoided slamming into him, I thought I heard what sounded like a car backfiring a couple times." He shuddered. "It's obvious now what those sounds really were."

"Gunshots," Amy whispered in horror.

"Yeah," Ty nodded in agreement, hating himself now for also concealing that part from Jack.

Tentatively, Amy asked: "How's Grandpa?"

"I've never seen Jack so angry," he answered. "I'm actually worried about him. His words were—and I quote—'If she dies, I will kill the bastard responsible.'"

Amy's jaw dropped. "Grandpa really said that?"

"Yes. And it sounded like he meant it."

***

BREAKING NEWS

Hudson Times—Online Version

Nadir Jutley

May 2, 2019

Motorist Shot

Hudson Police are investigating the shooting of a motorist on Range Road 292 earlier this afternoon. The middle-aged female victim was taken by ambulance to the South Calgary Health Campus and is listed in critical but stable condition. Authorities do not currently have any suspects in the shooting and have not released the name of the victim.

More information to follow as details emerge.

• Email: nadir_jutley

***

By nine p.m., there had been no discernible change in Lisa's condition.

"Go home and get some rest, Mr. Bartlett," one of the ICU nurses advised. "It makes no difference if you're waiting here or if you're waiting at home, and I'm willing to bet you'd be more comfortable waiting at home. We'll call if anything changes."

"Let's go, Jack," Tim urged. "Come on. Besides, have you notified Lisa's sister? Her aunt?"

"No, I haven't," Jack admitted with a sigh, dreading having to make those particular calls.

"Someone needs to call the rest of the family—Lou; Peter," Tim said. "And I'm starving."

"Trust you to think of food," Jack grunted, but nevertheless realised going home for the night was the right decision.

***

It was nearly midnight in New York when the call startled Lou from a deep sleep. She sucked in a breath, her heart hammering in her chest. The noisy chimes of her cell phone continued, louder than her half-awake brain wanted to tolerate. Lou reached blindly for the device, wondering who might be calling at such an ungodly hour. She peeled open one eye to squint at the bright screen that lit up a small patch on the bedside table.

The number was instantly familiar: HOME.

Lou's racing pulse skipped a beat. Foreboding enveloped her as she knew in no uncertain terms there was nothing but bad news on the other side of that call. Still, she managed to compose herself while mentally stamping out bleak memories of years gone by of a different call informing her of her mother's death and Amy's grim situation.

"Hello?" she said, throat gritty.

"Lou, honey," a familiar male voice spoke.

"Dad..." Lou said, voice wobbling, an ache clutching at her heart. Please, please don't let it be something wrong with Grandpa.

"Lou, there's been an accident," Tim pressed on. "You should probably come home as soon as possible."

"An accident?" Lou repeated. "What's happened? Is Grandpa okay?"

"Yeah, he's... it's not Jack. He's... unharmed," Tim replied.

"Oh, thank God. Wait, is it Georgie?!" Lou exclaimed, her thoughts now striking out to her daredevil daughter. Please, not my child. She's been through so much already.

"No, Georgie's fine, Lou."

"Katie?!" Lou asked in a panic, then instantly decided Peter would have been the one to call if that were the case, unless both of them—.

"No, it's Lisa," Tim replied with impatience before Lou's next frantic guess jumped to Amy or Ty. "I don't know how else to say it, but they're saying someone shot her when she was driving up to Calgary for a meeting this afternoon."

"Shot her?!" yelped Lou, this time mentally reeling back to an incident involving gun-toting, low-life cattle rustlers and her father using his own body to protect his youngest daughter. "You said it was an 'accident', Dad!"

"Well, there was," Tim said defensively. "Her SUV went off the road. Thankfully Scott and Ty were heading back into town right then and found her in the ditch."

"Is she all right?" Lou dared to ask while fearful of the forthcoming answer.

"Jack says she's critical, but stable; whatever that really means," Tim grumbled. "Anyway, you gonna come home, or not?"

"I think I have to. I mean, I wanted to come when Amy—you know—but I was at a crucial point with the franchise stuff and there was a lot to get done. But now..."

"Yeah, yeah, fine. Just let me know when you're getting in."

"I'll get on the booking site right now."

"Okay. 'Bye for now."

***

Hudson Police Headquarters

The half-a-dozen officers who gathered in the conference room fixed their collective gaze on the large flat-screen TVs mounted on the wall.

Portraits of Val Stanton and Lisa Stillman appeared side-by-side, along with bullet-point details of their respective cases.

"Anyone see what I'm seeing?" asked Chief Parker.

"Two blonde, blue-eyed, middle aged women; both residents of Hudson; both involved in the horse business," offered Detective Constable Jennifer Patterson.

"Stanton was shot first. She was killed while riding a horse belonging to Stillman. Stillman discovers Stanton's body. Then Stillman winds up shot, too," added Detective Toby Kavanaugh.

Parker nodded encouragingly. "Keep going, Kavanaugh."

"From a distance, it's not that difficult to mistake Stanton for Stillman, I should think."

"So, where are we going with this?" asked Patterson. "Do we think it was a case of mistaken identity in the Stanton case? That someone might have been aiming for Stillman in the first place?"

"Maybe," Parker uttered. "We can't rule out the possibility. Stillman told me she has a fairly regular routine of riding out to Lookout Point in the mornings. The trouble is the M.O.s are substantially different in these shootings, and Stanton was shot later in the morning—later than Stillman claims she would normally be out there."

He pointed out differences between both incidents.

"Val Stanton was shot once from behind while on horseback, right through the heart, with a .308 caliber round. Reconstruction of the shooting showed a trajectory of about 80 yards, placing the shooter in a copse of Aspen. The shooter also policed his brass. That indicates this was a very professional job.

"In the Stillman shooting, the weapon was a pistol. Stillman was shot twice—once in the left side and once in the head. The surgeons recovered one of the bullets while they were operating. The other was recovered by our guys from the inside of the SUV's ceiling after it bounced off Stillman's head; we found the .25 ACP casings in our sweep of the crime scene area. We're quite sure the shooter was riding a motorcycle. Ty Borden and Scott Cardinal weren't able to get a good enough look to positively identify the bike, so that's probably a dead end. Stillman remains in critical but stable condition in the ICU. Despite all that, something about this one seems decidedly amateurish."

"Do you think it was just someone out shooting at drivers for kicks?" Patterson asked.

"Maybe," Parker said with a frown. "If so, I don't like it. That kind of activity speaks of someone who's mentally unstable—and liable to do it again."

"We've been over the hunting accident theory in the Stanton case," Patterson said, looking again at Val's picture.

"And discarded it," Kavanaugh said.

"Right," Patterson said. "But that leaves us with very little to go on in terms of motive or suspects."

"You two questioned her children," Parker said. "I've read your reports, so I know you're not keen on pinning their mother's murder on either of them."

"No," Patterson said slowly, "but Jesse Stanton did seem to me like he was trying to hide something. I mean, he has a clear alibi for his whereabouts when his mother was shot, but..."

"But what?" Parker pressed.

"I just don't like the guy," Patterson said with a shrug. "He was too smug. All his answers sounded like they were rehearsed."

"I agree," Kavanaugh said. "I don't like him, either, but that could also be I just don't like spoiled rich kids."

Patterson nodded. "Unfortunately, being a 'spoiled rich kid' isn't a motive."

"No, it isn't," Parker said. "Let's keep digging. If it is a case of mistaken identity with the Stanton murder and Stillman was the intended target, we need to find out why. If the cases are unrelated, then we're still looking for two shooters and two motives, and to be honest, I hate both options."

"Love or money," Kavanaugh said offhandedly, as he stood to leave the meeting.

"Or both," Patterson said.

"Whichever one it is," Parker said seriously, "find out, and find out fast."

"Yes, Chief," the pair replied in tandem.

***

Chapter 7: Every Breath You Take

#Heartland #Heartland fanfiction #my fanficiton #JISA #JISA fanfiction #Bad Business A Heartland Murder Mystery #Jack Bartlett #Lisa Stillman #Ty Borden #Amy Fleming #Tim Fleming #Lou Fleming #Chief James Parker #Scott Cardinal #Valerie Stanton #Jesse Stanton

12 notes · View notes

the-real-tc · 2 years

Text

Bad Business Ch. 5: Moving Target

Author's Note: Not much to say here, except, "Please don't hurt me" and another massive "Thank you" for all the likes so far. Your support for this story so far is much appreciated.

***

To the childless wife he gives a home, and gladdens her heart with children.

- Ps. 113

***

Chapter 5

Moving Target

The Hudson Hawk: Your Eye on Hudson

A BLOG

Is It Foul Play in Briar Ridge Owner's Death?

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Anyone who knows anything about Hudson has heard about Briar Ridge and the late Val Stanton. She was a well-respected pillar of the community who supported various causes and elevated the sport of showjumping. Her death comes as a shock, especially due to the unpleasant circumstances surrounding it.

Authorities have been slow to finger any suspects, nor have they publicly speculated about possible motives. It would seem they would rather chalk this one up to an unfortunate hunting accident than entertain the notion it could be willful homicide.

This blogger finds it hard to believe her death was accidental. There have been recent reports of bears in the Hudson area, but only a visually impaired hunter mistakes a woman on a horse for a bear. A woman on a horse also cannot be confused for cougars, wolves, coyotes or any other type of prey animal a concerned rancher or farmer might have cause to take down.

I mean, sure, an errant bullet is a possibility, but if so, Stanton would have to have been especially unlucky to be struck by a round so far off the mark. Furthermore, Hudson police have been unable to find any proof of active hunters in the general vicinity of the fatal incident.

The question, then, is who would want Stanton dead?

Facts so far, as reported by the press:

1) Stanton went for a ride on a horse by herself on the morning of her death.

2) Stanton did not return by the expected time.

3) Family members reported her missing, citing the particular urgency of Stanton's health as a reason for concern.*

4) Stanton's body found early the next morning at Lookout Point by a Hudson resident out for a ride.

5) Coroner determines cause of death to be a single gunshot wound; Stanton fell from her mount, causing further trauma, but the injuries sustained in the fall did not ultimately contribute to her demise.

*I've been unable to find out exactly what "health" issue might have been troubling Stanton, but sources close to this blogger say she had fought two bouts of cancer in the past decade. It should also be noted that one need not wait a specific time frame in order to file a missing-persons report in the province of Alberta (i.e., 24 or 48 hours).

Comments? Theories? Let me know in the comments below.

I've got my eye on you, Hudson.

- Hudson Hawk

Comment: The Hudson Times said the horse Stanton was riding was attacked by a bear. Do you know anything more about this, Hawk?

-Animal_LuvR

Reply: I can confirm the story the horse was attacked by a bear. I'm told it is in a safe place now and being treated, but I cannot reveal my source.

- Hawk

Reply: Okay, thanks. Is the horse going to be alright?

-Animal_LuvR

Reply: My source tells me he is in expert care and will most likely make a full recovery.

- Hawk

Reply: Good. Thanks!

-Animal_LuvR

Comment: No theories, but just want to say it's crazy what happened. I hope the cops get to the bottom of this. This used to be such a safe place to live.

- A Hudson Rez.

Reply: Hey "A Hudson Rez". I noticed your handle. You're not the "Hudson resident" they talked about in the papers who found the body, are you?

- Guest

Reply: No, totally not. Why?

- A Hudson rez

Reply: OK, thanks. Just curious.

- Guest

***

"Okay, I'm heading off to my investors meeting in Calgary," Lisa said as she flew through the kitchen towards the mud room, pausing as Jack turned from the sink to catch up with her. He planted a kiss on her cheek and bid her a safe drive. "Good luck talking with those detectives today while I'm away."

"Thanks, I think I'll be okay," Jack said, noting the hint of warning in her voice. He had heard all about how uncomfortable the investigators had made her feel the week before during her own interview. "What time do you expect to be back?"

"In time for a late afternoon glass of wine with you," she said, eyes dancing merrily. "I'll text if I'm delayed."

Jack gave the phone at his hip a pat. "I'll make sure it's on," he said.

"Yes, you've got a lot better at that, Mr. Bartlett, haven't you?"

"What are you insinuating?" he retorted with mock indignation.

Lisa's mouth twisted into a playful smile as she swallowed a chuckle. "Oh, nothing."

"All right, all right, I know my track record has been the pits when it comes to these things," Jack said, raising his hands in submission. "But it is on, and I will be paying attention."

"Good. And on that note, I'm off."

"Love you," Jack said.

"Love you more," Lisa responded sweetly, then was out the door.

***

Traffic on the Range Road was seldom busy, and today was no exception. Lisa counted maybe two other vehicles that passed her along the way; none from the opposite direction. She knew she could expect to hit heavier volumes once she reached Calgary, which was one reason she left Heartland with enough of a buffer to ensure she was not late for the meeting.

The nature of the meeting would be more serious in nature than others in the past. It would be the first time the group of investors would be meeting since Val died, meaning there was an empty spot Tanner Gunn would be looking to fill. Fortunately, someone was willing to do just that: Jesse Stanton.

Val's death sure has brought about a real change in Jesse, Lisa thought. She admittedly never had dealings with the heir to Briar Ridge, but with his mother gone, Jesse seemed to be willing to step up to the plate and continue as an investor with Tanner Gunn's group. Lisa had heard stories of how miserable Jesse had tried to make life for Ty once upon a time; that immature, vindictive phase was clearly behind him.

He would be in attendance today; one major item on the agenda would be the rather perfunctory business of naming Jesse as Val's replacement in their group. Other items included the possibility of raising the reward money amount for information leading to an arrest and conviction in Lanny and Paige's murders.

It's so terrible the police have nothing after all this time, Lisa mused sadly. And now Val... Thinking of the seeming lack of progress in Chief Parker's investigation, she wondered if Tessa Haywood, Jesse's girlfriend, was simply blowing smoke when she bragged Jesse was planning to hire a private investigator to look into his mother's death.

Maybe it's something Paige's parents ought to be doing, Lisa thought, knowing the case had gone cold in Calgary. Maybe I should suggest it at the meeting. Maybe we could offer to put up money to hire a P.I., instead of raising the reward.

From some distant point behind her, the obnoxious roar of a motorcycle reached Lisa's ears. A quick glance in the rear view mirror confirmed it: a lone rider approaching at a clip. Lisa kept glancing at her mirrors to keep tabs on this motorcyclist's movements. A few moments later, she watched as he pulled out into the oncoming traffic lane, then pulled back in behind her.

Is he trying to pass? Lisa wondered. She purposely let up on the accelerator so the rider could safely go by. When he didn't, she lowered her window and stuck out her arm, waving to encourage him; nothing was approaching them at this time from the opposite direction.

"It's clear," Lisa muttered more to herself, since she knew he could not possibly hear her over the roar of the bike's engine. Again, the motorcyclist swerved out, only to inexplicably pull back in behind.

What is he doing? she thought in borderline annoyance. She had already reduced her speed; maybe letting up some more would embolden him. Once more, Lisa released the pressure on the gas pedal; beckoned through the window more insistently now.

"I'm fifteen under the limit, buddy," she spoke out loud, voice heavy with exasperation, "if you're going to go—"

No sooner had she said this did the motorcyclist put on a burst of speed. He pulled abreast of her, keeping pace with the Porsche. Lisa glanced to her left, taking in the rider's dark leather jacket, mirrored helmet, and the pricey-looking bike. His head turned in her direction, but he still did not overtake. Lisa gave a slight shrug before returning her attention to the road ahead. If he did not want to go past, that was his business. He would only be risking a head-on collision if someone did happen to come up ahead on the road.

Lisa glanced at him yet again, still puzzled and now growing annoyed at his unusual actions. Is he trying to play "chicken"? she thought. An incline was in the distance, and she wondered if he would ever pass, as it would be dangerous to attempt on a hill. His right hand now clutched a pistol, which was pointed at her. Lisa's breath caught in her throat, instant fright replacing her annoyance. Instinctively, Lisa twisted the steering wheel to the right in a desperate attempt to veer away from the threat.

Two shots rang out.

The Porsche careened off the road into the ditch, its engine racing for several seconds before finally cutting off.

The would-be assassin continued down the road towards the incline without stopping as he shoved the weapon back inside his breast pocket. He instantly regretted the action, having misjudged how hot the piece had become after firing it, nearly yelping in pain when the metal radiated scorching heat through his jacket and shirt.

He chanced a final glance behind him at the wreck; the thought crossing his mind that he should perhaps turn back to see if he had been successful in carrying out his deadly objective. As he reached the hill's summit, he cursed himself when a horn blared. What seemed to be an inevitable collision with a pickup truck was avoided by mere inches as he finally pulled back into his proper lane.

In a flash, he realised he recognized that pickup before it vanished from sight behind the hill: it belonged to the Hudson veterinarian, Dr. Scott Cardinal. One side of his twisted brain urged him to turn back and kill Cardinal, too, but the more rational side prevailed. There were too many risks and unknowns at play now. What if someone else happened upon them? It was not worth it. So he rode on, anxious to put as much distance between himself and this job. In any case, Cardinal wouldn't be able to identify him. He was safe. But if the veterinarian did somehow become a threat, he would not be difficult to find…

***

"Scott, watch out!" Ty shouted in warning as they crested the hill.

Scott's heart skipped a beat when the guy on the motorbike narrowly avoided being splattered all over his windshield.

"Idiot," Scott spat in disgust, watching in the rear-view mirror as the retreating rider slipped from view behind the hill. His heart nearly skipped another beat when he saw a familiar silver-grey SUV sunk in the ditch just up ahead on the left.

Ty saw it, too. "Wait, I think that's Lisa's," he said, cold dread drenching him.

Scott eased up on the gas and pressed the brakes, bringing his truck to a complete stop while activating his emergency flashers. It could only be Lisa's; it had to be. No one else in Hudson drove that exact make and model in that colour. Even if it was not Lisa, the pair would certainly have halted to assist any accident victims.

"Ty, call for help!"

In seconds, Scott had snatched some gloves from his vet kit and hopped from the cab of the truck. He pulled on the gloves as he sprinted across the road towards the SUV. There was no discernible motion from within. Scott reached the driver's side window, which was still rolled down.

"Lisa?!" he called.

What he saw caused him to reach in to unlock and yank open the driver's side door in one frantic pull, willing himself not to panic or lose his focus. Lisa was slumped over the steering wheel, face partially obscured by the folds of the deflated airbag. The upper portion of the left sleeve of her dark grey blazer was saturated with blood.

"Lisa! Can you hear me?"

No response. He reached over to feel along the carotid artery; listened closely to determine if she was breathing. Her breath seemed shallow and laboured. Pulse? There it was: rapid, but barely perceptible beneath his gloved fingers. His attention quickly returned to the perfectly round wound to Lisa's upper arm, the first obvious source of the blood. Scott immediately squeezed his hands around her arm just above the site, applying as much pressure as he could manage, hoping to stop the flow.

"Ty!" he barked over his shoulder. "Grab our kits and get over here!"

He realised they would need to apply a tourniquet as soon as possible. At first, Scott could not figure how such an injury could have occurred in a car accident, since there was no evidence of shrapnel or anything of the sort. For a second, he flashed back to the thigh injury he sustained in the plane crash from several years ago. Nothing like that appeared to be the reason behind Lisa's trauma. It began to dawn on Scott there was already far too much blood soaking Lisa's blazer to have been caused by a single entry site. With the utmost care, he shifted her arm for a closer examination. What he saw caused his spirits to sink further: another perfectly round hole in Lisa's side that matched the ones perforating her left bicep.

"Scott, is she okay?"

Ty stood next to his mentor now, trying not to crowd him; his own hands currently wearing protective gloves as he lugged the kits over and set them down. He unclipped his cell and activated the speaker function, waiting for the 911 operator to answer.

Scott's face was grim. "Ty, I think Lisa's been shot."

"Shot?!" Ty echoed in dismay, angling for a closer look into the SUV. "What—are you sure?"

"It went through her arm and into her side," Scott said, throat constricting as he tried to swallow; his mouth bone dry. "It's pretty bad."

"911, what is your emergency?"

Ty shook himself after seeing the streaks of blood on Scott's own gloved hands which were still clenched firmly around Lisa's arm.

"Yes, I'm at the site of an automobile accident on Range Road 292 heading south towards Hudson," he answered the dispatcher. "Uh, a woman has been badly hurt."

"Okay, sir. What is your name, and can you confirm how many people are involved in the accident?"

"I'm Ty Borden—I'm a vet; I'm with Dr. Scott Cardinal," he stated. "The woman is Lisa Stillman. She's the only one hurt. We just found her. She's not conscious but she's bleeding pretty badly from, uh, from what looks like a gunshot wound."

If the 911 operator was fazed by what Ty described, her voice did not betray it.

"Thank you, Dr. Borden. We're dispatching police and ambulance services to your location right now. Did you say Dr. Scott Cardinal is with you?"

"Yes," Ty confirmed. "He can hear you; I've got you on speaker."

"Scott, it's Heather LaPlante," announced the dispatcher. "You're my vet. I know you guys are animal doctors, but your medical training will still be extremely useful here."

There came a series of additional questions and instructions from Heather, clarifying the extent of Lisa's injuries, and what more the two veterinarians could do to keep her alive.

"Don't move her unless it's absolutely necessary," Heather cautioned, once she had verified from Scott that Lisa was still breathing and a pulse was present. "Is the bullet wound a puncture or perforation?"

"Both," Scott advised. "The bullet perforated her left arm through the bicep and punctured her side—the ribcage. No discernible exit wound."

"Then the bullet is still inside her somewhere," Heather remarked in a matter-of-fact manner, but both men heard an edge of anxiety colouring her words. "You said her breath sounds are labored and the pulse is rapid, so you could be dealing with a pneumothorax. If you haven't already done so, you and Dr. Borden need to apply a tourniquet immediately to her arm, and you've got to deal with that side chest wound until more help arrives."

"Scott," Ty interjected with urgency, "the air bag. Look."

Scott took a moment to follow his protégé's gaze. His stomach flipped. A red stain bloomed ominously on the white material of the air bag below Lisa's face. "Ty, you gotta check her for a head or face injury," he said. "I don't want to let go of her arm until we can get the tourniquet."

"What's happening?" asked Heather, having heard the exchange.

"The air bag deployed when she crashed," Scott explained to the dispatcher, "but we're seeing bloodstains. It looks like she sustained a head injury on impact, or…" His voice trailed off, not wanting to voice the alternative. He knew they were all thinking the same thing, anyway.

There was barely room for Ty to maneuver. He clipped the phone back to the holder on his belt so as to have both hands free for this next action. The way the Porsche was angled in the ditch meant it would be impossible to gain access through the passenger-side door, so Ty popped the lock on the backseat door. Once inside, he squeezed himself over the console between the front seats to get closer to Lisa.

Life over limb, Ty thought grimly, as he cautiously supported the neck of the still-unconscious woman while raising her head for Scott to get a closer look.

"What do you see, Scott?" he asked, straining to keep proper support from his awkward position.

A bloody welt, gory and deep red in colour, showed plainly on Lisa's pale skin, just below the hairline, an inch above her left eye. Blood was now streaming down, darkening her left eyebrow, lid, and eyelashes. A single rivulet crept its way down her cheek; droplets stained the collar of her light blue blouse.

Scott sighed, his apprehension ramping up even higher. "She's been shot in the head, too, Ty. That ambulance had better get here fast."

Ty blinked hard. "Heather, I'm going to lean her back so her face isn't pressed into the steering wheel."

"Okay, do it gently as possible, always supporting her neck."

"Right."

Once this action was complete, he dashed out of the SUV and snapped open the vet kits. After withdrawing the necessary items, he and Scott applied a neat tourniquet to Lisa's left arm. Knowing they might need to shift Lisa to address the wound to her side, Ty reached in to unbuckle the seatbelt and carefully snaked it back to its original position.

"Make sure you keep paying close attention to her breathing and pulse, Scott," Heather warned. "Let me know right away if anything changes. If her chest cavity fills up with too much air, her lungs could collapse… and she could die right there before the paramedics can get to her. Here's what you have to do immediately to buy her some time..."

***

"All right, everybody's here except Lisa Stillman," Tanner Gunn said, calling the investors' group meeting to order.

"Yeah, that's Lisa—always on her own timetable, never mind what everyone else is doing," Dan Hartfield said disparagingly.

"Really?" Tanner remarked, turning to look at the other man. "I hadn't ever noticed that about your ex-wife, Dan. As I recall, she's normally early for these meetings."

"I'll send her a text," Dan grumbled, having been caught in his lie.

"Car trouble, maybe?" Fred Garland posited with a frown.

"That Porsche of hers is over ten years old," muttered Dan, still tapping on his phone, "but it's in excellent condition. I'll see if she responds to my message."

"I say we just start the meeting and get her up to speed when she arrives," Stanley Belmont, owner and operator of the Hudson Funeral Home said impatiently.

Emma Fitzroy nodded. "I agree. We have quorum in any case, and since we're not deciding on any new investment opportunities this meeting, we don't need any unanimous votes."

"Any objections from anyone, then?" Tanner asked, looking around the room. The members, plus newcomer Jesse Stanton, were all shaking their heads in the negative. "No objections. Good. Let's get a recap of the last meeting's minutes to start. Hopefully that gives Lisa enough time to get here before we move onto the first item of business on the agenda, which is namely you, Jesse..."

***

Jack heard the unexpected approach of a car. This was unusual, since he knew Lisa could not possibly be back at this time, and it was early still for his appointment with the detectives. He peeked out the kitchen window, mildly surprised to see it was indeed a police cruiser. It pulled to a stop and parked in the spot normally occupied by Lisa's Porsche. Are they here already? Jack thought. He was further surprised to see both Jim Parker and Ty exiting the vehicle. A strange disquiet stirred in the pit of his stomach. Some instinct told him this was not going to be a social call from the Hudson chief of police. He did not wait for the knock and instead opened the door right away for the two men.

Ty let the senior officer go ahead of him, unable to meet Jack's eyes. He was thankful Chief Parker was there and would do all the talking.

"Jim, it's good to see you," Jack said heartily, offering a firm handshake.

"Jack," Jim replied cordially, though his manner was reserved as he tried for some professional detachment.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" asked Jack uneasily, his eyes wandering momentarily to Ty, who continued to avert his gaze. The younger man hung back, unsure now if he ought to be present for this. But no, he thought, Jack needed his support. Better to stay.

"Let's sit down first, please?" Jim implored, nodding towards the kitchen table. "Ty, you can join us, too."

Jack offered the chief something to drink while he pulled out a chair for him to sit down. Jim politely declined. The old cowboy rounded the table to take the place opposite. Ty mutely took up a third spot at the table to Jack's oblique left.

The Bartlett patriarch sensed something must be terribly amiss but could not quite make any sense of both Ty and Chief Parker's presence. He tamped down the rising tide of foreboding. "All right; what's this about?"

"I'm here because your wife—Lisa has been in an accident," Jim said plainly.

The words slammed into Jack like a gale-force wind, knocking the breath from his lungs. "Wha-? An accident?" His eyes flew once again to Ty for an explanation or some kind of confirmation of the chief's news. "Is she all right?"

"She's still alive, but her condition is critical. They've taken her to the South Calgary Health Campus," Jim replied evenly. "But, Jack, there's more."

Ty sucked in a sharp breath, knowing full well what "more" Chief Parker was referring to.

All kinds of dark memories engulfed a dumbstruck Jack; images and emotions from the night a similar conversation occurred between him and another officer about Marion and Amy.

"It wasn't merely an 'accident'," Jim continued, monitoring the other man's features carefully. "Someone shot your wife."

The words were so incongruous, Jack needed Jim to repeat them. "Excuse me, but did you just say someone shot my wife?" he exclaimed, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.

Ty covered his own mouth with his hand, remembering the sight of an unconscious, injured Lisa in the seat of her SUV.

"That's correct," Jim acknowledged.

"But—who? W-why?" Jack sputtered, rising from his chair, staring at the chief as his heart clenched painfully within. Rage soon replaced the disbelief as he imagined tearing to pieces the person who had dared harm his wife in this way.

"We don't have any suspects right now," Jim said calmly, noting how Jack's face had deeply reddened and how his hands were gripping the back of the chair. "I was actually hoping you might be able to help with that."

"How could I possibly 'help'?!" Jack snapped. Someone had shot his wife. She was in critical condition in the hospital, and Chief Parker was keeping him here, insinuating he might know who did it.

"Can you think of anybody who might want to hurt her? Does Lisa have any enemies?"

"'Enemies'? Lisa?!" echoed Jack, his voice rising from its usual gravelly timbre to a higher, incredulous pitch. The idea was absurd. "No!"

"Forgive me for having to ask," Parker said soothingly. "I know she is in the high-stakes racehorse breeding business. Have there been any disgruntled clients or staff? Jealous rivals? Think carefully, now."

Jack lowered himself into his chair once more. He attempted to focus; he forced his voice to speak something coherent. "Jim, you've met my wife. She's one of the kindest, most generous people I've known my whole life. She would rather sell her vacation home in France than let go her staff when she was going through a rough financial patch. That's the kind of person she is. Of course she has no enemies!"

If Parker was disappointed with this response, he did not let on. However, he did not give voice to what he was thinking: Very seldom in his experience did he encounter a person who went through life without upsetting someone else. The question, then, was if Lisa Stillman had ever upset someone else enough to want to end her life.

"Um… There was this jockey…" Ty murmured.

Jim turned to look at him expectantly. Jack glanced over in surprise, having nearly forgotten Ty was there.

"Go on, Ty," Jim encouraged.

"His name's Liam," Ty said, clearing his throat. "Liam Comox. He once jockeyed for Lisa. Amy and I—we suspected him of using an illegal shock device on one of the horses that was acting up. Lisa found a bunch of buzzers among his possessions and fired him. She also reported him to the Steward's Office. He was barred from racing."

"When was this?" asked the chief eagerly, seizing on this potential lead.

Ty considered. "Uh, maybe eight or nine years ago?"

A dubious expression replaced the hopeful one on Jim's face. "Hmm. Do you think he's still hanging around and holds a grudge against Lisa after all this time?"

Ty expelled a breath. "I don't know," he said with an honest shrug. "That is a pretty long time to be nursing a grudge. As for where he is now, I have no idea."

"Thank you, Ty. This is definitely something we'll be looking into," Parker said, scribbling down the details provided.

He turned now to Jack. "Thanks for answering my questions. If anything else occurs to you that you think might be important, I want you to call me right away, okay, Jack? No matter how insignificant you may think it is."

"I will," Jack said, rising as Jim stood up to leave.

"The same goes for you, Ty," Parker added, placing his card on the table. "I know you gave us a statement at the accident site, but if you think of anything else—something you remember that you didn't tell us—you call us."

"Okay," Ty replied with a nod.

"I'm sorry we had to meet again like this, Jack," Parker said with sincerity. "I don't like it when things like this happen under my jurisdiction, especially so soon after what happened to Valerie Stanton. You have my word my team and I will be nose to the grindstone to bring the responsible party to justice."

Jack was almost too numb to speak but managed a feeble "Thank you."

"I'll be in touch, Jack. There's bound to be more questions at a later time. You have my best wishes for a speedy recovery for your wife. Now, I'll see myself out," the chief said as he made his way over to the mud room.

Once the door shut behind the Hudson chief of police, Jack turned his attention to Ty. The numbness receded as his mind begged for more details. "Ty, what the hell is going on?" he hissed. "What is this about your giving a statement at the 'accident site'? How come you were with Chief Parker?"

"Because Scott and I were the ones who found Lisa," Ty answered, eyes downcast. "Her Porsche went off the road."

"And?" Jack prodded, his heart again screaming in pain while his mind conjured up horrific images of his wife trapped inside a mangled vehicle. "Don't you dare B.S. me, either, Ty. You tell me everything you know."

"It's—It's bad, Jack," Ty admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "We must have got there almost right after it happened. She, uh, wasn't conscious when Scott got to her. We could see one bullet wound to her left arm. That one did the most damage. It actually went through the arm into her side. No exit wound, so…"

"What else?" Jack demanded, steeling himself for what he feared he might hear next.

"There was another bullet wound to her forehead," Ty replied slowly, pointing out the approximate location on his own head. "I know that doesn't sound good, but when the paramedics arrived and got her out of the SUV, I think they were optimistic the bullet didn't actually penetrate her skull."

"Jeez," Jack breathed out, unable to articulate anything further.

"Scott and I applied a tourniquet to her arm. Sealed up the chest wound with gauze and… it's possible she could have a collapsed or punctured lung," Ty added reluctantly. "But she was still breathing when the paramedics and police got there, then Chief Parker arrived."

"I need to get to her right now," Jack stated resolutely, already moving to exit the house.

"I'll take you," Ty rushed to say. "You're in no state of mind to drive, Jack. Don't argue with me on this one, please."

Jack gave a swift nod without pausing in his tracks. "Fine," he grunted, tossing his keys to Ty. "Let's go!"

***

The drive out to the hospital was filled with a stifling tension. Ty dared not say a word while Jack sat in stony silence next to him. By the set of his jaw, Ty knew Jack was seething in mental torment and emotional anguish. Only once did Jack say something when they reached Calgary city limits and were minutes from the South Calgary Health Campus: "If she dies, I will kill the bastard responsible."

Ty sent a cautious glance over at the man who had become like a father to him. He saw a deadly resolve in the older man's lined face; his words clearly not an idle threat. Ty felt a chill pass through him at the thought Jack might actually resort to murder to avenge Lisa. He wanted to say something to get Jack off that destructive thought pattern but held his tongue for the time being. Had Ty not almost beaten Wade to death for his abusive actions towards Lily? He understood well that blinding rage and irrepressible need to exact justice for wrongs committed against innocent loved ones. The irrational emotion gripping Jack would eventually run its course—or at least Ty hoped it would—and there was still the chance Lisa would pull through.

***

Chapter 6: Fragile

#heartland #heartland fanfiction #JISA #JISA fanfiction #Lisa Stillman #Jack Bartlett #Ty Borden #Scott Cardinal #Val Stanton #Jesse Stanton #Tanner Gunn #Emma Fitzroy #Fred Garland #Chief James Parker #Bad Business #my fics #my fanfiction #A Heartland Murder Mystery #Dan Hartfield

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the-real-tc · 1 year

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Fic Update! Bad Business: Ch. 12 A Place Called Heartland

Chapter 12:

A Place Called Heartland

***

To the childless wife he gives a home, and gladdens her heart with children.

- Ps. 113

***

[draft]

Hudson Hawk: Your Eye on Hudson

A BLOG

Bad Business in Hudson

If you've been following the local news lately — and it's hard not to — you'll be very aware of all the sinister events that have unfolded in our fair town over the past few weeks. Thanks to the dogged efforts of the Hudson Police and that of the neighbouring Calgary Metro Police, however, it looks like justice will prevail in the sordid murder and murder-for-hire cases that have come to light.

To recap: Mrs. Valerie Stanton of Briar Ridge Stables was shot to death while horseback riding up at Lookout Point. Also targeted for death was one Lisa Stillman of Fairfield Stables. One detail that came to light was that the horse Stanton was riding at the time of her death belonged to Stillman. This raised a troubling question: was Stillman the intended target with Stanton being the unfortunate victim of mistaken identity, or was it all a terrible hunting accident?

Nothing could have been further from the truth, as the culprits turned out to be much closer to home; their reasons much more disturbing. Facing various and sundry criminal charges are: Tanner Gunn, Theresa Haywood, Stanley Belmont, Jesse Stanton, and William Ulrich.

I know what you're probably wondering: Is Jesse Stanton related to Valerie Stanton? The answer is a resounding "Yes". He's the son of the same late Valerie Stanton, and Briar Ridge heir. He's been charged with soliciting a killer-for-hire to murder his mother. His reasons for so doing will probably come to light in the upcoming trial, or not. Whatever his reasons, what makes things all the more troubling is he decided to try to kill Lisa Stillman when the insurance payout for his mother's policy was held up due to the police investigation into her death.

Adam paused as he tried to summarize the facts of the case as he knew them. He stared at his laptop screen, wondering now if he had the right to be typing this story in his blog at all. After all, he knew the people involved. By now Georgie must have told the family at Heartland Ranch the Hudson Hawk was his chosen sobriquet.

An unconscious frown tugged at Adam's mouth. His conscience was nagging him. It had been easier when he could hide behind the anonymity of a screen name; he could pretend there was some distance between himself and the subject of his blog posts. Now...

So while he had the blessing of his parents to continue this blogging endeavour, Adam closed the file without saving it. Instead, he decided to check with Alberta Fish and Wildlife to see if they had anything new to report about the elusive bear that had been implicated in the attack on Herring and the man whose body he and Georgie discovered at the Dude Ranch. Doubtless when it was eventually found, it would be destroyed. Such would be the fate of any wild animal that targeted humans instead of other wild animals.

***

Monday, May 13, 2019

Somewhere on Highway 2, Due North.

"I'm glad she's finally feeling up to having visitors," Rachel said as Lou navigated the SUV to the hospital.

Lou glanced at her, then chanced a peek back at Ben, who was staring out the window at the passing scenery, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

"It was driving me crazy having to wait," Rachel continued. "I still can't wrap my mind around everything that's happened. It's like some bizarre dream I'm waking up from. Well, nightmare is more like it. Thank God it's over."

"I can't believe everything that's happened, either," Lou quipped, thinking back to the night Amy shot Jesse, and how Chief Parker had been able to tell the rest of the family Lisa was alive.

Rachel's joy at learning her only sister had indeed survived the attempts on her life was tempered by the fact she had been led to believe the opposite.

"I thought I was coming out here to say 'goodbye' to her," Rachel commented, her voice just above a whisper. "I thought I was never going to see her again. And I know I shouldn't be upset the police couldn't tell us the truth right away—to protect her and all that—but I wish..."

"But it's gonna be okay now," Lou said reassuringly, filling in the silence when Rachel did not verbalize the rest of her train of thought. "She'll be so happy to see you two."

The rest of the family had elected to stay back at Heartland for the time being so as not to overwhelm the recovering patient. It was expected Lisa would be discharged within the week, anyway, and Georgie and Katie were already excitedly making plans for a 'Welcome Home' party of sorts, and the imminent arrival of Aunt Evelyn.

From his position in the backseat, Ben quietly spoke up: "I keep going over in my mind the time I spent at Briar Ridge. I remember being jealous of Jesse Stanton at the time because of all the 'toys' he had. He seemed to have anything and everything he wanted. I remember thinking how much I'd love to have a Ducati like his, and how my parents' splitting up meant I might be able to guilt one or both of them into getting me one. Then I thought, hey, maybe my rich aunt could. What she did buy was jumps for Red so I could practice at Heartland. It took me days to finally thank her. Days. What a shallow, ungrateful idiot I was.

"To think... to think Jesse was riding that same damned bike when he shot my aunt..."

"For what it's worth, Ben," Rachel eventually uttered with a smirk, "There's no way I would have been giving you a Ducati back then, no matter how guilty I felt about the divorce, and neither would your Aunt Lisa."

***

South Calgary Health Campus

Lou tapped her knuckles lightly on the door to Lisa's room.

"Yeah, come on in," Jack called from within.

Upon hearing this response, Lou let Ben and Rachel go ahead of her. Despite expecting this visit from her family, Lisa felt a lump forming in her throat at the sight of her sister and nephew, and instant tears flooded her eyes. Rachel crossed the floor quickly to her sister. Lisa readily received the gentle but fervent hug that lasted several seconds.

"Hey, Rachel," Lisa uttered. "Thanks for coming. I'm so glad to see you."

"I thought I'd lost you," Rachel murmured, voice choked with emotion as her eyes brimmed.

"I know," Lisa responded as Rachel released her. "I'm sorry. You know I never wanted to put you—any of you—through that. But the decision to keep you in the dark wasn't mine. I never wanted to cause you any grief—"

"We're just glad you're going to be okay, Aunt Lisa," Ben put in hurriedly, also approaching Lisa for a hug of his own.

"Ben," Lisa said warmly while accepting his embrace, "it's so good to see you."

"Ben's right," Rachel said. "All that matters is you're going to be okay. The people who did this to you are in custody and you're still with us. That's what's important. Oh, my goodness, let me look at you..."

Rachel spent a few moments taking in the bandage that still graced the left side of Lisa's forehead, and then noticed the sling on her arm. What she could not see beneath the hospital gown were the sutures sealing the incision where the chest tube had been inserted, and the additional bandage covering the patched-up bullet wound.

Shaking her head, Rachel said, "I'm so glad you're alive, sis. You look like you've been through hell and back."

"I feel like it, too," Lisa uttered wryly.

Jack rubbed her forearm in a comforting manner at this comment. He could not abide thinking she was in any discomfort.

"Rachel, I'd like you to meet Jack," Lisa said, motioning towards her husband.

"Jack," Rachel said with a wide smile, moving to hug the man her sister married. "At long last, we meet in person. I'm sorry it took something like this to bring us out here."

"Good to finally see you in person, too, Rachel," Jack said heartily, holding her tightly for a few moments before releasing her.

"Hi, Jack," Ben said, reaching over to shake the older man's hand. "It's been a while."

"Yes it has!" Jack rejoined, grasping his step-nephew's hand. "It's good to see you again, man."

"Jack... I want to thank you for being there for my sister when that monster tried to... you know..." Rachel trailed off. "You saved her life."

"Yes, Jack," Lisa said, sending a broad smile in his direction. "My hero..."

Jack did not wish to think about or speak any more of the night he found hitman Earl McCann trying to suffocate Lisa, so he quickly shifted the conversation to a more mundane topic.

"Well, I guess Aunt Evelyn should be getting in soon?" he asked, doing his best to sound upbeat about it.

"Yes, Grandpa," answered Lou, also sensing his discomfort about the former subject. "Her flight gets in tomorrow night."

"Oh, Aunt Evelyn," Lisa groaned, closing her eyes. "She'll never forgive me for putting her through all this!"

"Of course she will," Rachel rebutted. "I talked to her yesterday. Lisa, all she cares about is that you're alive and safe. You said it yourself: the decision to keep what was going on confidential wasn't in your hands. You were at death's door at the time, for heaven's sake! Nobody's blaming you."

At this, Lisa nodded. "Thanks, Rach. I needed to hear that."

"Anytime," Rachel said. "Someone's got to knock some sense into you."

"Right," Lisa said. "And thank you for not making cracks about my 'hard head'."

"Oh, rats! That was going to be my next joke," said Rachel, feigning disappointment.

"Well, I, for one, am glad for your 'hard head', Lis," Jack said with a small smile. He traced a thumb near the bandage below her hairline, once again so grateful the weapon Jesse had used was not as deadly as he intended it to be.

***

A Couple Days Later

Heartland Ranch

"They're here!" Katie cried excitedly, rushing from the porch into the house upon seeing Jack and Lisa pulling up into the yard.

"We're home, Lis," Jack said, putting the truck in park.

"Hmm," Lisa murmured, slowly peeling open her eyes. She had not intended to fall asleep during the drive home, but too many nights of poor sleep in the hospital meant her body craved rest. Jack's steady driving and the purr of the truck's engine proved to be a fairly good natural sedative.

"Wow, how long was I out?" she asked.

"About half an hour," Jack chuckled. "I didn't realise my company was that boring."

"Oh, you," Lisa said, realising he was jesting. Now that she was coming to full awareness after her brief nap, she finally noticed the yard was not quite as empty as it normally was. "Um, Jack... What's with all the cars and trucks..?"

"You have a lot of people who wanted to welcome you home, Lis," Jack explained. "Come on. Let's get you inside."

Jack opened the door on Lisa's side and carefully eased her down. "Slow and steady, now," he advised, gingerly supporting her on the way to the house.

Though she was feeling miles better than when she first woke in the hospital, Lisa allowed Jack this expression of care for her well-being. After all, she knew first-hand how challenging it could be when the person you loved most was resistant to help of any sort.

Almost as soon as she entered the house, Lisa was met by Evelyn.

"Darling," the older woman uttered, taking her niece's face in her hands before hugging her tenderly. "I'm so relieved you weren't taken from us like that... When Jack called me... oh, I thought my heart wouldn't be able to endure it. But you're here. It's a miracle."

"I'm so sorry I had to put you through that, Auntie," Lisa said sincerely.

"Nonsense," Evelyn stated flatly. "Lou and Rachel explained everything. The police did what they had to do to keep you safe and to flush out the guilty parties."

"Then I'm so glad you understand," said Lisa with relief.

"Jack, don't be a stranger," Evelyn chided, at last noticing him. "Come here. I want to kiss the man who saved my niece's life."

"Hello, Evelyn," Jack said, allowing her to give him a peck on the cheek.

Evelyn leaned in to Lisa. "Doesn't he ever shave, darling?" she asked in a low voice, though Jack managed to hear, anyway.

"Only when the mood strikes him," Lisa answered with a chortle, patting Jack's face playfully. "But I love him, anyway."

"Yes," Evelyn said seriously. "And he loves you. And that's really all that matters, isn't it?"

Tim approached just then. "Everybody's waiting in the living room," he announced, somewhat impatiently, then amended his tone. "Is Lisa okay?"

"I'm fine, Tim," Lisa replied. "I just didn't expect something like this when I got home."

"Let's go," Evelyn said perkily. "Can't keep your well-wishers waiting."

Lisa sank into the middle of the couch, deeply touched by the gathering of dear family and friends that afternoon. She was further impressed by the efforts Katie and Georgie put in to decorating the space to enhance the celebratory mood of her return home.

"Do you like what we did, Lisa?" asked Katie with expectant enthusiasm, grinning widely. Georgie stood by, also waiting to hear what Lisa would say.

"It's beautiful, both of you," Lisa responded, taking in the large 'WELCOME HOME, LISA' banner, streamers, balloons, and cheery tea lights. "This was so very thoughtful of you. So special."

Heartened by this praise, Katie zipped over to where Peter stood with Lou and happily told them that Lisa loved her handiwork.

Everyone took time to express to Lisa their happiness that she was going to be okay after her brushes with death. But there were two people in particular Lisa knew she was more than obliged to see and to publicly commend.

"Ty; Scott," Lisa spoke up, grabbing the attention of everyone. The two veterinarians looked uncomfortable under the sudden scrutiny of the others.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for your quick actions that day out on the road," said Lisa. "I don't remember any of it, but I'm eternally grateful you stopped and helped."

"Of course, Lisa," Ty said.

"We would have stopped for anyone in distress, Lisa," Scott added. "It just so happened we knew you."

Neither man was able to say anything further, as memories of that incident were still difficult and disturbing.

"We're just glad you made it, Lisa," Ty said.

"Right," Scott said in agreement.

"Thank you, both of you," Lisa said, once again fighting back tears.

An hour or so slipped by. Lisa could feel her energy starting to wane; friends such as Caleb, Jen, Mitch, and Scott made their departure. At length, only the family remained in the living room.

Before it got to be too late, and before Lou lost her nerve, there was something she had to get off her chest. "I know we don't always see eye-to-eye, Lisa," Lou said tentatively, "but the truth is you're very special to me, and to all of us here. It felt like losing my Grandma Lyndy and my mother all over again when we thought the worst had happened to you..."

Lou suddenly could not continue.

"I felt the same way, Lisa," Amy put in. "After my miscarriage, and after everything you shared with me, I was devastated at the prospect I was facing another personal loss... but you're here, and I'm so glad."

"And I..." Georgie started, but was unsure if she could continue. She looked to her mother, who nodded some encouragement. "I didn't know what to think of you when I first met you, Lisa. I thought you were some rich snob who was going to take Jack's time and attention away from me—"

"Oh, Georgie, honey..." Lisa murmured.

"I never got to say I was sorry for that," Georgie went on in a rush. "And Lisa, I'm sorry for all the mean things I said about you. I'm so sorry. I-I never knew my grandparents or my great-grandparents, for that matter, but you've been everything I could have ever wanted in a great-grandmother, and more."

"Thank you for that," Lisa said, eyes misting, looking at the family that had been grafted onto her heart. "Thank you all. And I want you to know I feel the same way. You know, I had a full life before I met Jack. A life I thought I loved. I thought I was living my dream life. But I look back now and see I didn't realise how sad and empty my heart was. I love you all very much. My life and my heart are full now."

***

Later that Evening

Dinnertime was over. Jack helped settle an exhausted Lisa into bed where she dropped off to sleep in minutes. It was early still, and after all the social activity of the day, Jack decided he needed to clear his head for a bit, so he brewed a cup of tea and escaped to the porch.

He had been there only a few minutes when he heard the sure creak of the door. Someone was coming outside and he turned expectantly to see who it was.

"There you are," Rachel said to Jack, softly closing the screen door while exiting the house.

"Hi, there," Jack said amiably from his position on the porch bench. "Have a seat."

"Thank you," Rachel said, and joined him. A few seconds later, she added: "It's every bit as lovely here as Lisa and Ben described, Jack."

Jack merely nodded.

"We haven't had a chance to really talk yet," said Rachel.

"No, we haven't," Jack said in agreement, though he wondered what Rachel might want to talk about.

"It's years too late, but I want to thank you for offering to put Ben up when I was going through my divorce," Rachel said. "At first, I wasn't thrilled with the idea when Lisa told me that 'plans had changed'; that he wasn't going to be at Fairfield; that he was going to be boarding at some place called 'Heartland'. But after Ben got over his own issues, he admitted he actually didn't mind this place so much, and he was sorry he didn't appreciate it enough at the time."

Jack nodded again, thinking back to how sullen Ben had been in those days. "Divorce is never easy on anyone, especially when there's kids in the mix," he said, remembering some of the ways Lou and Amy struggled to cope in the wake of Tim and Marion's divorce.

"I love my sister to bits, Jack," Rachel said. "She's my big sister, you know? I idolized her growing up. I was relieved she would be the one to take over the family business because I sure didn't want to be responsible for it. She seemed to be happy when she married Dan and moved to the U.S., but we both know how that all turned out. That time in her life changed her, Jack, and not for the better. I wish only happiness and love for her, and I'm so glad you're in her life, because it's clear you're the one who can provide those things for her."

"Well, I'm glad she's in my life, too," Jack admitted, though that hardly covered the length and the breadth and the height of things when it came to expressing how he felt about his wife.

"I don't know what fair wind blew you two together," Rachel said, "but I pray you two stick together."

"That's the plan," Jack said, thinking back to that evening at the Open House when he first laid eyes on Lisa Stillman. Never in a million years would he have guessed what the future would bring him after that chance encounter.

"You wouldn't happen to have a brother who's just like you out there somewhere, eh, Jack?" Rachel said with a laugh.

"No, no. Just me," Jack responded with a smile and a quick laugh of his own. "I think they broke the mold when they made me."

Rachel looked over at him, seeing his features in the light streaming from the kitchen window. "I think you're right about that, Jack. My sister is a very lucky woman."

"I think I am the lucky one," Jack said with sincerity. How many people get a second chance at love in their lives?

"Yeah..." Rachel said. "Well, goodnight, Jack. Thanks for loving my sister the way you do. You've saved her life in more ways than you'll ever know."

The younger Stillman sister leaned over and gave Jack a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight, Rachel," Jack replied.

***

Epilogue

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Fic Update! Bad Business: Ch. 11 Sing Me to Heaven

To the childless wife he gives a home, and gladdens her heart with children.

- Ps. 113

***

Chapter 11: Sing Me to Heaven

Hudson Police Headquarters

6:00 a.m.

Amy yawned widely. Ty observed this action and could not contain a long yawn of his own.

"You're both free to go now," Chief Parker said, satisfied that the debriefing interview with them had gone well. "Thank you for your patience and your cooperation through all this. It's been a long night."

"You're welcome, Chief," Ty said, voice heavy with relief. "I think we're just both glad all this is over."

"Yes, I'm sure you are," Parker said, looking at the pair with sympathy.

"What's going to happen to Jesse?" asked Amy, knowing she would not be facing any charges herself for having shot him.

"Mr. Stanton has been charged with attempted murder for starters," Parker responded. "He's in police custody while he recovers in the hospital, though it's likely he'll post bail. I'm told he came through his surgery just fine. Thanks for not killing him, by the way. That would have created quite the mess."

Amy smiled wryly. "I'll bet it would have. If I'm honest, I'm not sorry I shot him, but I'm glad he's still alive and will face justice for everything he's done."

Parker nodded in understanding. "And Amy—speaking from experience here—I know you're not feeling bad about it now, but if the time comes that it does start feeling bad, you call me, okay? There's also professional help if you need it. Don't underestimate the traumatic nature of what you just went through."

Amy paused before answering. "Thank you for that, Chief. I'll keep that in mind."

Ty looked to her now. "Ready to go?" he asked, grasping her fingers between his.

"Ready," she replied, giving his hand a soft squeeze.

"Hi, Dad?"

"Amy," Tim said, keeping his voice low. "What's the matter?"

"You won't believe what happened last night," Amy said, holding her cell phone to her ear while Ty drove them home.

"What happened?"

"Um, I kinda shot Jesse Stanton."

"You did what?!"

"Dad, he was the one who shot Lisa out on the road the other day," said Amy. "He came out to Heartland because he wanted to make sure Ty wouldn't be able to identify him. I caught him trying to shoot Ty in the barn."

"You didn't kill him, did you?"

"No, he's alive," Amy replied. "Under arrest, but alive."

Oh, so that's why they came and dismissed the cop who was on protection duty, Tim thought to himself.

"Yeah, we thought something big must have gone down, but nobody was authorized to tell us anything specific," Tim said.

"Dad... we know you and Grandpa are at the hospital. Chief Parker told us Lisa's alive," Amy said. "I mean, he said she was still in 'rough shape', but that she's alive."

"Is that how he put it?" Tim asked.

"Yes," Amy said slowly, catching the sour note in her father's voice. "Why, is something wrong?"

Tim snorted. "If by 'rough shape' he means she's probably going to be a freakin' vegetable for the rest of her life and that she'll probably never regain consciousness after that bastard tried to suffocate her..."

Amy's heart dropped to her feet at these words. "Dad... you can't mean..."

"I do mean it, Amy," Tim said. "You're not here. You haven't seen what's been going on. She hasn't opened her eyes once or moved a muscle since that attack."

"But," Amy protested plaintively, "what have the doctors said?"

"Nothing yet," Tim admitted. "Now that she doesn't need that bodyguard anymore, they can take her for another brain scan sometime soon. I guess we'll know more then."

***

Calgary Herald — Online Version

BREAKING NEWS

Herald Newsdesk

May 9, 2019

The Calgary Police Tactical Unit has responded to an incident at the Calgary International Airport. Early reports indicate it is a hostage-taking on a private chartered jet bound for Ft. McMurray.

Authorities have stated the affected area of the tarmac has been contained and that passenger safety at the airport is not at risk. Travellers departing from Calgary International Airport at this time are encouraged to contact their airline for information about potential delays and cancellations.

This is a developing situation. More details to follow as they occur.

***

Lisa stood thigh-deep in the middle of the river's waters. The Rocky Mountains towered in the distance. Other than the flowing water, everything else around her was tranquil. The water should have felt cold running off from the melting winter snowpack on those very mountains, but to Lisa there was no such chilly discomfort.

This is heaven, she thought to herself contentedly, contemplating the rare, happy moments she had been able to spend here with Jack, especially that first special date when she knew she was falling in love with him

On the opposite bank, Lisa's eyes made out the figure of a slim young woman with long, dark hair.

"Hello?" Lisa called, wondering who she might be. She began to approach while asking: "Who are you?"

But instead of answering, the woman raised an arm and extended a finger. Lisa turned around to see what the younger woman was pointing at. Standing on the other riverbank, she recognized a grizzled, mustachioed man wearing a cowboy hat.

Jack. Oh, Jack. You're here. She eagerly started to make her way to where her husband stood.

***

South Calgary Health Campus

Tim cracked his eyes open and sat up from his position in the sleeping recliner. He immediately looked over and saw Jack hunched over at Lisa's bedside.

Nurse Cheryl, too, sat nearby. She saw him stir and said, "Good morning."

"Yeah, good morning," Tim managed to say, giving his face a scrub with his hands. With a start he realised Lisa's armed police guard was nowhere in sight. He relaxed two seconds later upon remembering how mere hours earlier, word had filtered through that Lisa would no longer be in need of that level of protection. How he had managed to fall asleep after speaking with Amy on the phone, he was not sure. Clearly he had been more tired than he realised. "How's Lisa doing?"

"No change," Cheryl responded with a pout. "But given what she went through, that's not surprising..."

"But shouldn't she have woken up by now?" he asked.

"It's difficult to put a timeline on these things, Tim," Cheryl said cagily. "They brought her back from the CT scan about an hour ago. It didn't show any brain damage, so that's a good thing. We just have to be patient."

Tim pressed his lips together, not giving voice to his negative thoughts. Lisa's lying here like a damned vegetable and they're saying we have to be 'patient', giving Jack false hope. It's only a matter of time before they tell us there's no change and no hope and that they're pulling the plug...

"When was the last time you actually slept, old man?" Tim now asked Jack. He looked at his ex-father-in-law with concern, knowing he had maintained his watch by Lisa's side all through the night, and had done so now for several nights in a row.

Jack's reply was curt and low: "I don't know."

"When was the last time you ate?"

"I had one of the sandwiches you brought last night from wherever it was you went."

"Lisa needs you to be healthy when she wakes up, you know," Tim said, trying to bolster Jack's spirits despite his own negativity about the whole situation. "Eat something substantial and get some shut-eye. I'll sit with her."

"He's right, Jack," Cheryl said, glad someone had finally said something, as she was also growing worried about the well-being of her patient's husband. "This isn't the time to be stubborn. Come on, let me buy you breakfast. We'll grab something to go. It's about time for me to take a break, anyway."

"Fine." Reluctantly, Jack pulled himself up from his seat, grunting as his disused knees creaked and sent him a couple jolts of arthritic pain.

"And bring me back something while you're at it!" Tim called out after them.

***

Lisa kept her gaze on Jack as he stood on the dry riverbank. Her progress, however, was hindered by the waters that reached mid-thigh. With much effort and exertion, she could see her destination was finally a few meters away.

Jack suddenly vanished from her sight.

"Jack?" Lisa called in confusion. She turned to look behind her. The young woman with the dark hair was likewise nowhere in sight.

Without warning, the flow of the river's current increased, steadily rising so the level now reached Lisa's hips.

"Jack!" Lisa called again, sensing danger. I need to make it to the other side, she thought to herself.

***

"I haven't thanked you yet for agreeing to look after Lisa through all this," Jack said to Cheryl as they walked towards the cafeteria.

"Just doing my job," the nurse said dismissively.

"Yeah, but all that extra stuff you had to go through with the police screening you, the secrecy, and that armed guard at the door—"

"It's fine, Jack," Cheryl said with emphasis. "A patient's life was at stake."

"Still, I'm grateful. Lisa wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"She's held her own, Jack," Cheryl said. "And she's very lucky to have you at her side. I don't have to tell you things could have been really grim if you hadn't been there the other night..."

Jack merely nodded, absently pulling at his cowboy hat. "Lucky" cowboy hat from now on, he mused.

***

"Hey, Lisa, it's Tim. I'm just here to sit with you for a little bit, 'cause honestly, Jack needs a break," Tim said softly. "I feel like we've just been through this sort of thing with Ty, you know? Some dumb luck this family has...

"I know you probably can't hear a word I'm saying, but I'm going to say it, anyway: You gotta wake up, Lisa. Jack needs you. We need you.

"I wasn't around when Lyndy died, and Jack—he'd already kicked me out of the house by then. But I saw how he loved her. And I see how he loves you now. You're his second shot at lasting happiness, Lisa; a shot he deserves to have for as long as he can.

"I remember the time I first really talked with you, back on that cattle drive we had for Ray's herd. Even then, I could tell he was a different man around you; a better man. If you don't make it, he'll be the most miserable, insufferable S.O.B. on the planet. A man can only take so much loss..."

"Tim, would you please move aside for a moment?"

Tim turned in surprise. He had not even heard when Dr. Kaminska entered the room.

"What's wrong?" Tim asked, picking up on her urgency. He automatically shifted aside so the doctor could get closer to her patient.

"I don't like how her oxygen levels are looking. There might be something going on with how the pleural space is draining. I'll need you to step outside, and please ask Cheryl to come back immediately."

"Yeah, sure. Okay," Tim said, instantly troubled. He quickly exited the room in search of the nurse.

Jack and Cheryl had just begun to return from the cafeteria with their meals when Tim spotted them in the distance.

"Cheryl!" he called. "The doc needs you right now."

"What is it?" she asked.

Jack tensed. "Is Lisa all right?"

"I don't know," Tim said in response to both of their questions. "Something about oxygen levels or whatever."

"On my way," Cheryl said, taking off at a pace, shoving her meal into Tim's hands.

Jack tried to follow as quickly as possible, but Tim stopped him. "Just wait, Jack," he said. "Let them do their jobs. I'm sure everything will be okay."

Annoyed Tim had blocked him, Jack was about to tell him to take a hike, but realised in the small confines of Lisa's room, he would only be uselessly crowding the women. Besides, he was not a doctor. He would be of no help to them.

***

Lisa felt the water all around her. The undertow pulled at her feet, dragging her from the riverbank, submerging her, preventing her from getting to dry land. Her breath was running out. Unless she found the strength to get her head above the surface, she knew she was not going to make it. The inevitable moment would come when she would have to inhale out of desperation.

I'm drowning, she thought, feeling as if her lungs were starting to fill with water.

***

"What's taking them so long?" Jack groused out loud when neither Cheryl nor Dr. Kaminska re-appeared after what seemed to him to be an exceptionally long time, when in reality it was mere minutes.

"I don't know," Tim said honestly.

"Well, I'm going in there," Jack said, making a move for the door.

"Jack, wait," Tim said tersely, grasping him firmly by the arm. "You don't know what they're doing in there."

"Exactly!" Jack said. "Let go of me."

"I'm no doctor," Tim said, still holding onto Jack. "Just stop and think for a moment. You know how badly Lisa was wounded. She's still got a tube in her chest. You going in there right now could put Lisa at more risk. Let them do their jobs."

"I have to do something!" Jack protested.

"Yeah—you have to wait," Tim retorted.

Just then, Jack and Tim noticed a young man with a black guitar case strapped to his back making his way down the corridor towards them. He appeared to be lost, as his uncertain glance shifted around the ward, seemingly looking for a specific room. Instantly alert for the potential threat of danger this newcomer might pose, Jack called out almost menacingly: "Can I help you?"

The young man started slightly. "Uh, I'm Luke," he said, nervously grasping the ID on the lanyard around his neck. "Music therapy. I, uh, it's only my second time here. I think I came down the wrong way..."

"Well, turn around and go back the way you came," snapped Tim, gesturing down the hall. "We didn't ask for any music therapist down here."

"Uh, okay, sorry," Luke said meekly, and began backing up before turning around.

"Wait a minute!" Jack called out, an idea suddenly taking root in his brain. Luke stopped in his tracks and swiveled his head back in surprise at Jack's command.

"Yeah?" came his wary response.

"That guitar any good?" Jack asked.

"Of course it is," Luke replied, almost taking offense. "Why?"

"I'd like to borrow it for a few minutes. Please."

Both Tim and Luke looked at Jack quizzically. Something in Jack's expression and demeanour must have convinced Luke his request was both sincere and desperate.

"Um... okay," he said after a few awkward beats. He slipped the guitar from his back, lowered it softly to the floor and unzipped the case. He withdrew a beautiful sunburst-coloured, six-string Fender acoustic guitar.

"Nice," Jack said approvingly, and deposited his own food items into Tim's already burdened hands. He took the instrument from Luke. Gently, he ran his thumb over the E-A-D-G-E sequence of strings, nodding with pleasure at the tone and resonance. "It's even all tuned up just right."

A small smile flickered on Luke's lips, clearly proud this stranger was impressed with his guitar.

"Be right back," Jack said, sliding the strap over his shoulder. He hustled down to the closed door of Lisa's private room. He still had no idea what was going on behind that door, but he hoped what he was about to do would somehow help matters.

They say patients can hear even if they're not conscious, he thought to himself. Lisa, if you can hear this, I need you to be okay... Jack positioned his fingers in the familiar position across the fretboard and began to strum the familiar chords. After taking a steadying breath, he began to sing:

"There's things I've been meaning to tell you, There's things that I've just got to say. So let's go for a walk, Somewhere quiet to talk, Maybe you'll see it my way..."

Tim and Luke listened, the former wondering what had possessed Jack to do this in the first place. Then he remembered where and when he had first heard this song. This is what Jack and Amy sang at Caleb's dinky little wedding reception, he thought.

Jack continued to sing:

"I felt for a while we've been drifting, With no reason to stay or to go. But I hope that whatever wind blew us together, Is stronger than we even know..."

***

Nurse Cheryl and Dr. Kaminska heard the sound of Jack's music-making through the closed door, but could not yet pause in their procedure to enjoy it.

"Aspirate PPC," Dr. Kaminska said. "Gently."

"Right," said Cheryl, following her colleague's spoken instructions, though she was familiar with the process. "Instilling sodium chloride..."

"Good," Dr. Kaminska said after a few moments. The pair continued to work together, slowly and methodically to unblock Lisa's pleural catheter.

***

Outside, Jack kept strumming and singing, hoping with all his heart Lisa was going to be okay.

"So walk me over this bridge, The river's so deep and so wide. Just walk me over the bridge, my darling, We'll get to the other side."

***

Lisa's vision was fading. The water that would surely become her grave grew dim and murky. When she was on the verge of giving up, she became aware of a faint sound, seemingly muffled by the water that submerged her. That sound now appeared as a distant point, like a tiny spark, and it was growing larger and brighter. She now perceived it as a sphere that was both music and light. Drawn to it, the sphere expanded and completely enveloped her.

***

"There's times I know you inside and outside There's times I don't know you at all But whatever we go through I'll be here loving you Even times when you don't hear me call..."

Please hear me call now, Lisa, Jack silently beseeched as he strummed the borrowed guitar.

"I know what we have is worth having, And I know what's ahead is worth more. So let's go for a walk, Somewhere quiet to talk, We'll see just what life's got in store."

***

The sphere of light and sound that was Jack's voice both surrounded and permeated Lisa's being, warming her and filling her with life. She felt as if she was being drawn up out of the suffocating pull of the river's currents, borne aloft, floating, weightless as a feather. She drifted towards the edge of the riverbank where a man in a cowboy hat stood with a guitar, his heartfelt song calling her to join him.

Jack... you came back, Lisa thought. I'm here. I love you.

***

"Reconnecting bung," Cheryl said.

"And we're done," Dr. Kaminska said a few moments later in relief, noting how Lisa's oxygen saturation level was already improving.

***

"So walk me over this bridge. The river's so deep and so wide, Just walk me over the bridge, my darling, Please be my place to hide."

"Walk me over this bridge, The river's so deep and so wide. Just walk me over the bridge, my darling, We'll get to —"

The door to Lisa's room opened, causing Jack to stop abruptly.

"Is she okay? What happened?" he asked, hurriedly pulling the guitar strap off his shoulder.

Dr. Kaminska smiled faintly. "We had a little scare, but Cheryl and I averted disaster."

"She's going to be okay, Jack," Cheryl said reassuringly while pulling off the PPE gown and tossing it in the laundry basket.

Jack closed his eyes and a silent prayer of thanks passed his lips. "Can I sit with her again?" he asked.

"Of course," replied Cheryl, then spotted Tim still holding their breakfast items. "After you eat something."

***

Calgary Herald — Online Version

BREAKING NEWS

HOSTAGE-TAKING AT AIRPORT RESOLVED

Herald Newsdesk

May 9, 2019

The Calgary Police Tactical Unit has resolved a hostage-taking at the Calgary International Airport without incident.

In custody is one Tanner Gunn, local businessman. Gunn was reportedly trying to flee the country on his private company jet after Calgary Police issued a warrant for his arrest in connection to an alleged murder-for-hire plot. Gunn reportedly took his own pilot hostage and demanded police allow him to take off. He surrendered when the Tac Team stormed the plane. The unnamed hostage was unharmed throughout the ordeal.

News item will be updated as more details become available.

***

Next Day

Hudson General Hospital

"Thank you for all agreeing to this meeting," Chief Parker said to all in attendance in Jesse Stanton's private recovery room. "It's unusual that this type of thing occurs before an arraignment and trial have even taken place—"

"Against my advice," interrupted Percy Clifton, Jesse Stanton's legal counsel. "Mr. Bartlett, I'm sure you're fully aware you are entitled to making your victim impact statement in court during the trial. I've allowed my client to participate in this little meeting as a show of good faith. As I understand, you've all known each other for many long years."

"That's right," Jack stated, looking straight at Jesse, wondering not for the first time how things had gone so wrong with him.

"I want to make it clear this is not a trial, and my client will not be harassed, and he will not be made to answer questions that may further incriminate him in any of the charges brought against him," Percy said. "After all, he is here recovering only because your granddaughter shot him."

"Oh, that's fine," Jack said coldly. "But he's already confessed to shooting my wife, and he was on his way to shoot my grandson-in-law, so cut the crap. We both already know he's guilty."

"That's for the courts to decide," Percy rejoined smugly. "And my client will have a fair trial."

"Yes, I'm sure he will," Jack said with a bob of his head.

"Jack, you may proceed with your statement to the accused," Chief Parker said, acting as mediator.

"Thank you," Jack said, then began his unscripted speech. "Jesse, I won't pretend to know what life was like at Briar Ridge when you were growing up, but I gather it was a privileged one. Must've made you feel pretty high and mighty, having everything handed to you on a silver platter."

Jesse, wearing a sling to support his injured shoulder, did not react to this; Ashley looked away, seemingly embarrassed and ashamed.

"I don't know what kind of values you were raised with," Jack continued. "If you were taught any at all, my guess is you threw them out the window the instant they got in the way of your pursuit of money and possessions."

Jesse remained impassive. Percy seemed to be losing his interest and his patience in this exercise, but Jack was not through. In fact, Jesse's lack of any emotional response was beginning to anger him.

"Was my wife's life so insignificant to you that you thought you could just snuff it out?!" seethed Jack. "What's the matter with you?"

Jesse's sullen expression hardened as he remained silent. He refused to meet Jack's eyes.

"If your mother were still alive—"

Mention of Val set Jesse off like a firecracker. "Don't you bring up my mother, Jack!" he finally snapped. "Her memory—it means nothing to me. Everything about her sickened me, you hear me? Everything! The way she treated us growing up, the way she continued to treat me even after I was supposed to have control of Briar Ridge... The way she kept trying to get into your life and into your bedroom..."

It took every ounce of control Jack possessed not to slam his fist into the young man's face and beat him senseless at that last crass insinuation. Ashley simply stared at her brother, open-mouthed.

"Oh, I can't tell you how thrilled I was that you kept rebuffing her," Jesse continued, not knowing when to be silent, but he was too full of venom and spite to care. "A bitter old woman like her didn't deserve to be happy, not after my father died and left her everything. Briar Ridge was supposed to be my inheritance!"

"You!" Ashley nearly shrieked as the full import of her brother's words dawned on her. "You had Mom killed?! How could you? How could you?!"

Unlike Jack, she lacked any control in that moment and laid into her brother with both fists, pounding at him in a rage-filled flurry of blows.

"Ms. Stanton, stop!" an aghast Chief Parker ordered, moving quickly to intervene.

"You've ruined our family! You've ruined us!" Ashley bawled as Parker did his best to restrain her without resorting to handcuffs.

"Escort her out of here, please, Constable McLeod," the chief said to the female constable who was waiting just beside the door.

The uniformed woman came forward hurriedly at that order. "Let's go," she said calmly, putting a firm, yet comforting arm around Ashley's shoulders. Ashley allowed herself to be led out, her sobs still racking her body.

Jack looked Jesse squarely in the face, having completely ignored Ashley's outburst. "Just tell me: why Lisa?"

"Mr. Stanton, I firmly advise you to ignore that question!" the lawyer squealed. The last thing he needed was his client to admit a clear motive for his actions.

Jesse tried to avoid Jack's gaze, though he seemed to be following his counsel's advice as he remained defiantly mute.

"Answer me, you punk!" Jack bellowed, completely disregarding Percy.

The lawyer narrowed his eyes at Jack. "Mr. Bartlett, I warned you before: my client will not be harassed! Chief, I object strongly to this—"

"It's over, Jesse," Chief Parker's low voice rumbled. "We know about you and Tessa Haywood helping Tanner Gunn to secure all those fraudulent policies on the members of the investors' group. We have them both in custody now. The man Gunn used as a middle man in your little murder-for-hire scheme confessed when Calgary detectives picked him up the other night. You also probably heard about the body we found near the Dude Ranch the other day. It might interest you to learn it was the hitman Tanner Gunn hired through the middle man.

"You should also know Dan Hartfield came to us, fearing for his life because he thought he saw a pattern and that he might be next on the list," Parker concluded.

"Was Lisa on the list, is that it?" Jack asked. "Is that why you tried to murder her?!"

Jesse finally raised his head. His eyes widened slightly in surprise at the intensity of the loathing he read in Jack's glare.

Several beats passed when no one spoke a word.

With a dirty scowl, Jesse finally broke off the staring contest with Jack. "She lived at Heartland," he eventually muttered. "That's why. She—"

"Mr. Stanton, again I beg you to stop talking before you—" interjected Percy in dismay.

"I—I don't understand," Jack stammered in confusion, overriding the lawyer's protests. "What do you mean by 'she lived at Heartland'?"

"Her being at Heartland meant she was closer to Briar Ridge than all the other members of the investors' group," Jesse explained in a tired voice. "Because of that, her movements were easier to keep track of than the others. That's all. That's why Lisa was it. Look, I was desperate, okay? Tanner's gambling buddies—they-they're vicious! They would have killed me if I didn't come up with the money I owed! I was going to lose Briar Ridge!"

"For the love of God, shut up!" Percy groaned and put his head in his hands.

"So when your mother's homicide investigation held up her insurance payouts, you needed another source, fast, didn't you?" Parker supplied the rest of the story.

Jesse did not even bother to deny it. "Yeah," he sniffed.

"That's why Tanner had Stanley Belmont pull Lisa's medical death certificate—so Tessa could start processing the payout for Lisa's life insurance policy."

Jesse nodded.

"And like your sister figured, you're the one who initiated the contract on your mother's life, aren't you?" Parker asked.

"Yeah," Jesse answered, fully defeated.

Percy uttered a few expletives under his breath. Jesse hung his head.

***

Hudson Times—Print Edition

May 10, 2019

Retraction Issued:

The Hudson Times prematurely reported the death of Lisa Stillman of Fairfield Stables. Stillman had been the victim of a shooting on May 2, as well as a physical assault on May 3 at the South Calgary Health Campus. Reports of her death were inaccurate and Stillman remains alive in hospital in stable condition. The Hudson Times apologizes for any confusion on the matter.

— The Hudson Times Editorial Team

***

Parker Residence

When Adam Parker arrived home from school, he was surprised to find both his parents—usually too busy with their respective high-demand jobs to be present together in the house at this hour—waiting to speak to him.

"Hi, Mom; hi, Dad," he began nervously. "What's going on?"

The Parkers looked at each other for a few beats. Without much preamble, Adam's mother asked him to have a seat. The teen slipped his backpack off his shoulders and obediently sat down opposite them in the living room.

"We understand how difficult it must have been for you when you and Georgina discovered that body out at the Dude Ranch the other day," Professor Ann Parker said to her son.

"And we understand you've been raised with a sense of justice, duty, and truth, thanks I'm sure, to my profession in law enforcement," Jim added.

"Right," Adam said slowly, wondering where they were going with this. "So..?"

"So, your father and I want to emphasize we're not totally upset at you for your non-school-related extra-curricular activities," Ann continued.

"What 'non-school-related extra-curricular activities'?" Adam asked with a confused frown.

"Your mother and I named you 'Adam', not 'Hudson Hawk'," Jim said pointedly.

Adam's eyes went wide as saucers. "My blog. How did you—?"

"C'mon, son, did you really think I didn't know about that?" asked Jim.

"I-uh... I hoped it was anonymous enough not to have anyone know it was mine," Adam muttered lamely.

"Give your old man a little credit," Jim said with a chuckle. "I'm a trained investigator."

"I know, I know," Adam said hastily.

"You were poking your nose in some sensitive areas," Jim said, growing serious again. "You could have made the wrong people very uncomfortable with all those theories you were throwing around. It was rash, and it was risky."

"Yes, sir," Adam said, dropping his gaze to his lap, wondering how much trouble he was in.

"Though I have to say you did a remarkable job coming up with your theories with the minimum amount of information available to you," Jim said.

"Oh. Well, thanks, Dad," Adam said shyly.

"We won't tell you to stop blogging, Adam, but..." Ann started to say.

Jim nodded in agreement and added: "Just be careful in the future—not that we expect you to be this close to any more murder investigations any time soon."

"I'll be careful, Mom and Dad. Thank you." Adam declared, relief blossoming now that he realised this was ultimately turning out to be a moment of praise and not punishment.

"That's all we ask, son," Jim said. "Go on, now. Someone needs to keep an eye on Hudson."

"Right. Uh, I'd actually really like to check in on Georgie and see how she's doing," Adam said.

"Go ahead," Ann said.

"Thanks."

***

Heartland

"So, it never was about Herring, was it?" Adam asked Georgie as they sat on the porch after revealing to her the Hudson Hawk blog was his.

"Nope," she replied.

"I guess that's a good thing? Sort of?" Adam asked.

Georgie simply shrugged. "We did find out Jesse was the one who slipped a few poisoned pieces of dog food into the bag of dog chow, though. He did it to get her out of the way so he could sneak up on Ty in the barn office."

Adam heard the note of absolute repugnance in her voice, spoken through clenched teeth.

"She's gonna be okay, though, right?" he asked.

"Ty thinks so. We acted quickly enough that there likely won't be any lasting damage," Georgie said. "But she could have died."

"I'm glad she didn't," Adam said, thinking in that moment of his own deceased dog, Digger.

"Me, too..." Georgie trailed off. Her thoughts had once again drifted to how they found the body near the Dude Ranch. She sincerely wanted to rid herself entirely of the memory of it and the smell of it, the latter of which seemed to have taken up permanent residence inside her nasal cavities. She shivered despite the warmth of the spring afternoon.

"Are you all right?"

"Um, not really," Georgie mumbled. "It's just... everything, you know? It's kind of..."

"Overwhelming," Adam supplied in his usual dry manner when Georgie did not continue. "I thought so. It's perfectly normal to feel that way after all the particularly traumatic experiences you've undergone lately."

"We found a dead body, Adam," Georgie nearly growled, perturbed he was seemingly unaffected by the gruesome incident. "And not just any 'body'. We found the body of the man who killed Val Stanton; the body of the man who nearly suffocated Lisa to death in the hospital... He would have gotten away with everything if the bear hadn't got him first."

"We don't know that," Adam said. "My dad was already turning his investigation to the investors' group and Tanner Gunn. Finding that guy's body only made it easier to connect the dots."

Georgie gave her head a doubtful shake.

"Hey," Adam said, thinking better of his last comment. "I'm sorry. You were grossed out by that body. We don't have to talk about it anymore if it's too much."

"No," Georgie said slowly. "It helps to talk about it. Just not any more right now. Okay?"

"Okay," Adam said. "But for what it's worth, I'm glad we found that guy's body together. I mean, I'm glad you weren't by yourself."

Georgie conceded that would definitely have been much worse. "I'm glad you were there, too, Adam."

"That's what friends are for," he replied, giving a rare, genuine smile.

***

HUDSON TIMES—PRINT EDITION

Briar Ridge Heir Charged With Two Counts of Attempted Murder

Hudson Police also bring charges of insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit murder

Nadir Jutley

May 11, 2019

Jesse Alexander Stanton, heir to Briar Ridge Stables, has been arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of soliciting the murder of his mother, Valerie Jane Stanton.

Hudson Police, in cooperation with Calgary authorities, have also brought charges against Theresa Stephanie Haywood, Tanner Vincent Gunn, Stanley Arthur Belmont, and William Edgar Ulrich in connection with the case.

Story continues on pg. 3...

Email: nadir_jutley

***

Calgary Herald—PRINT EDITION

Arrests Made in Cold Case

Suspects in year-old double-homicide charged with insurance fraud along with conspiracy to commit multiple murders

Erika Volmeyer

May 11, 2019

Calgary Police, with the cooperation of the Hudson Police Department, have made several arrests in connection to the year-old murders of Laurence and Paige Barick.

Local businessman Tanner Vincent Gunn, Calgary resident Theresa Stephanie Haywood, and Hudson resident Jesse Alexander Stanton, have been arrested in connection with the murders of the Baricks, one Valerie Stanton of Hudson, and the attempted murders of Lisa Stillman and Tyler Borden, also of Hudson.

The trio face further charges of insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit murder.

Also facing charges is one William Edgar Ulrich of Calgary, and Stanley Arthur Belmont of Hudson.

Story continues on pg. 7...

Email: e_volmeyer

***

Next Evening

South Calgary Health Campus

"Hiya, Cowboy."

An automatic smile flashed across Jack's face at the sound of his wife's soft voice. He peeled open his eyes and drew himself up to a fully seated position.

"Hi, Lis. How're you feeling?" A tender smile creased his face.

"Like I could use more drugs," she said wryly. "And I am a little hungry, to be honest."

"That's a real good sign," Jack said, gently holding her hand in his. "Want me to call a nurse?"

"Yes, please."

Jack pressed the call button to do just that.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Fine," he replied. "Just fine, now that I know you're out of the woods."

"Your bruises are still pretty awful, Jack."

He drew her hand to his lips to kiss it. "They were all worth it, Lis."

"Any news on the man who tried to... Did they catch him yet?"

"Uh, yes and no," Jack hedged.

She regarded him with a quizzical frown. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The nurse appeared then, halting the response Jack was about to utter. "Everything okay?" she asked.

"My wife's in some pain," Jack explained.

"She's due for another dose," the nurse stated, coming in and adjusting the I.V. flow. Her nametag identified her as 'Sandra'.

"Thanks, Sandra," Lisa said.

"You should be feeling better pretty soon," Sandra said. "Anything else you need?"

"Am I too late to get dinner?"

"Not at all," said the nurse. "I'll have them send you a tray."

"Great," Lisa said. "I'm starving."

When Sandra had departed, Lisa turned her attention back to her husband. "What were you saying about the man responsible for all this?"

"Yeah, about him," Jack said, rubbing the back of his neck as a sudden chill crept up on him. "They didn't catch him—because he's dead."

Lisa's eyes went wide. "Dead?" she repeated. "What happened?"

"What happened is that he got too close to the bear that's been wandering around Hudson, that's what."

"You're joking," Lisa said.

"Nope," said Jack with a serious shake of his head. "Adam and Georgie were out for a ride a few days ago. They thought they spotted something that shouldn't be there, so Adam called his father."

"That 'something'—it was a body, wasn't it?"

"Yup," Jack said in confirmation. "Chief Parker's people found the man's mauled body near the Dude Ranch. He'd been staying in Cabin Two the whole time."

"What?!" Lisa exclaimed.

"I know. Crazy, isn't it?"

"I-I don't even know what to say," Lisa stammered.

"There's more," Jack said uneasily, wondering if the time was right to dump everything on her now.

"More?"

"Jesse Stanton has confessed to shooting you."

"Jesse Stanton?" a perplexed Lisa echoed. "Why would he? I don't—that doesn't make any sense at all."

"I know," Jack said. "It doesn't make sense. But Jesse Stanton, for all his wealth and privilege, hasn't got a moral bone in his body."

Lisa watched Jack and waited for him to explain. "What are you not telling me?"

"Jesse also tried to kill Ty in the barn a few nights ago."

"He what?! Is Ty okay?"

"Ty's just fine," Jack assured her. "All because Amy was on the alert. She caught Jesse just in time. Shot him with my rifle."

If Jack had grown two heads in that instance, Lisa could not have been more astonished.

"Did Amy... kill him?" Lisa asked tentatively.

"Oh, no. Jesse's still very much alive," Jack grunted sourly. And he's lucky Chief Parker was in the room when I saw him earlier. "He's probably going to have a bum shoulder for the rest of his life, though."

"This is crazy, Jack," Lisa said with a shake of her head. "Make it make sense to me, because right now I feel like I've stepped into an episode of The Twilight Zone."

Jack could see Lisa was overwhelmed with all these disparate pieces of information coming her way.

"From what the police uncovered, Jesse conspired with Tanner Gunn to have that dead guy in the woods kill Val," he explained. "They think the dead guy is also responsible for Lanny and Paige."

"Jesse and Tanner Gunn?! Lanny and Paige... But-but... Why?!"

"Both Jesse and Tanner have admitted they needed the money to cover their gambling debts," Jack said. "They had insurance policies taken out for all of you on that investors' group Tanner had going. The police are auditing the group's books now, too. They suspect Tanner's been embezzling the funds."

"Wait a minute, what 'insurance policies'?" Lisa asked, head still spinning. "How was he able—? I never, ever signed up for anything like that."

"That was Jesse Stanton's doing," Jack replied grimly. "Apparently, Tanner roped him into his gambling circle some time ago. When Tanner started owing big-time, Jesse convinced his girlfriend, Tessa, who worked at an insurance agency in Calgary, to falsify the documents. Lanny's was the first."

Lisa's mouth went dry as her lips turned down into a deep pout. "Executive assistant" indeed, she thought now of that not-so-long-ago conversation she had with the young woman at Val Stanton's funeral reception. And to think I thought she was merely a gold-digger at worst.

"So Jesse and Tanner were using us as their personal slush fund, is that it?" she finally asked in disgust after digesting this piece of news. "The investors' group was all a sham from the beginning."

"Hey, you couldn't have known," Jack said.

"But I should have," she replied bitterly. "I should have known nothing good was going to come of anything Dan recommended."

"Well, you'll get no argument from me on that one, Lis," Jack said. "But at least Scott's clinic got something out of it for a while, right?"

Lisa closed her eyes, feeling more drained than ever. "I guess."

"So don't go beating yourself up about it," Jack advised. He hated to give Dan any further credit, but nevertheless told Lisa how Dan had gone running to Chief Parker because he started to suspect he might be the next target on Tanner's would-be hit list.

"If Dan hadn't spoken up, the cops might not have turned their attention to Tanner Gunn so quickly. It's how they were able to find out about his gambling problem—and Jesse's, by extension."

"Hmm," Lisa murmured. "Dan was saving his own skin, is more like it. Oh, did I say that out loud?"

Jack regarded her with amusement. "You did."

"Shoot. I meant to keep that to myself."

"You do make a habit of that, you know," Jack commented.

"Of what?" Lisa asked.

"Keeping things to yourself."

Lisa gave an impatient sigh. "It's not that I want to," she said. "Some things just aren't worth mentioning. There are some things you don't need to hear."

"Like the email threats you got from that fringe animal-rights group?" Jack asked. He had not wanted to spring it on her like this, but he did not want the opportunity to pass now that they were on the subject of keeping secrets.

Lisa stared at him. Her jaw slackened slightly. "H-how did you—?"

"Chief Parker," Jack said. "He had to cover every angle, Lis. His team poked through your emails and found the threats. Why didn't you tell the police? Why didn't you tell me?"

Lisa exhaled sharply, then grimaced at the action. Her chest and side were still so tender, thanks to a couple cracked ribs from when Nurse Cheryl was forced to administer CPR the night of the attack by the hitman. "Fairfield has been receiving those kinds of 'threats' since my dad was alive, Jack," she finally said. "Their bark is worse than their bite. I ignore them because it's not worth it. If I'd told you about it, what would you have done?"

"Probably gone off on them and knocked a few heads together," Jack admitted sheepishly.

"Exactly," Lisa said, "which is exactly what I don't need. There will always be people who don't like horseracing, or the rodeo, or the chucks, or anything with the potential for these animals to get hurt. All I can do is make sure my horses get the best treatment when they're at Fairfield. It's how my dad ran things, and it's how I intend to keep running things. I need to be able to look at myself in the mirror every day and see someone who's doing things the right way."

Jack smiled at her. "In case there was ever any doubt, I see someone who's doing things the right way."

"Thank you for that," said Lisa.

"Still, I wish you'd told me," Jack said. "You don't have to face that stuff alone, even if it only amounts to a bunch of baseless accusations of abuse."

"I promise from now on I will tell you," Lisa said, "if you promise not to go beating them up."

"I promise."

Presently, one of the hospital volunteers arrived with Lisa's dinner tray.

"Thanks," Jack said, taking the meal from the young woman's outstretched hands.

"What is it?" Lisa asked expectantly.

Jack looked at the menu printout sheet and cautiously raised the lids. "Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, diced carrots, some crackers, and apple juice," he announced.

"I am so glad they're letting me eat solid food," Lisa sighed, gingerly shifting herself into more of an upright position. This was not the easiest of maneuvers as her left arm was still immobilized, and even the slightest motion exacerbated the pain of the patched-up wounds in her side.

Jack caught her grimace. "You okay?"

"Fine," she grunted. "Nothing I can't handle."

"Here, let's get that bed adjusted," he said, taking the bed's control and pressing the button to raise the mattress so Lisa had enough back support.

"Thank you," she said, and relaxed as she reclined more comfortably against the now almost vertical upper section of the bed.

"Ready for the first bite?" Jack asked, scooping up a small mound of the potato.

Lisa nodded, and allowed her husband to feed her. Despite feeling quite hungry, exhaustion very quickly took over.

"Had enough?" Jack asked a few minutes later when Lisa put up a hand to stop him from bringing her another bite of the Salisbury steak. She let go a short breath and gave a tired nod after swallowing. "I think that short walk I got to take today tired me out more than I thought."

"Then let's take a pause from eating. Relax," Jack said, putting down the fork.

"I would like some of that apple juice, though," she said, eying the cup. He lifted the drink and angled the straw towards her lips.

Jack waited while she took a couple sips. Once she was finished swallowing, he set the cup back down. He noted with a flicker of concern that more than half the meal still remained on the tray. Unexpectedly, a memory bubbled up from when they were lost in the woods while the status of their relationship was uncertain.

"How do you know ten years from now I won't need somebody to feed me mashed potatoes?" Lisa had asked when he expressed to her his fears about growing old, and her being burdened with taking care of him.

"You're a lot younger than me, Lis."

"You got pretty quiet there, Cowboy. What are you thinking about?" she gently asked, pulling Jack back to the present.

"I was thinking..." he began slowly, "I was thinking that I never thought I'd be playing the role of caregiver in this marriage."

"And you're doing a great job," Lisa said. "I feel very cared-for, Jack. Thank you for being here."

"I couldn't imagine being anywhere else, Lis."

"Can you stay with me again tonight?" she asked.

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes, please," she answered.

"Then I'll stay."

"Good," Lisa said happily.

***

Chapter 12: A Place Called Heartland

#heartland #heartland fanfiction #my fanfiction #bad business #A Heartland Murder Mystery #Lisa Stillman #Jack Bartlett #JISA #Jack and Lisa fic #Amy Fleming #Ty Borden #Tim Fleming #Jim Parker #Adam Parker #Professor Parker #Jesse Stanton #Ashley Stanton

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the-real-tc · 2 years

Text

Bad Business Ch. 8: Hunter & the Hunted

Author's Note: It is with extreme anxiety that I post this latest chapter. The stakes are higher than ever, and I'm afraid things still aren't being made very clear, and suspects will still be plentiful.

***

To the childless wife he gives a home, and gladdens her heart with children.

- Ps. 113

Chapter 8:

Hunter and the Hunted

Jack glanced up at the clock and pouted: it was three minutes to nine o'clock in the evening. An earlier announcement reminded all visitors of the approaching end to visiting hours for the day. His time with Lisa, in his opinion, had been all-too-short since she regained consciousness.

"I wish you could stay," Lisa said, even as she yawned, sleep threatening to overtake her. "Talking to the cops today still has me all wrung out."

"I know," Jack murmured. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Jack, they had the audacity to suggest you might have had something to do with what happened to me," Lisa said, finally feeling comfortable enough to tell him. "They asked me about my will."

Jack grimaced, thinking about his own earlier bad dream. "I figured they would."

Lisa shook her head. "I tried to tell them there's no way my loving husband was capable of something like this."

"Thanks for that, Lis," Jack uttered, looking at her with great tenderness. She returned his gaze, thinking how lucky she was to have this wonderful man in her life. He held her right hand in his, gently massaging her knuckles with his thumb, making sure he avoided the I.V. lines.

Another announcement sounded now, insisting all non-staff make their exit as visiting hours were over.

"I guess this is goodnight," she said, reluctantly withdrawing her hand from his soothing grasp.

"But I'll be back tomorrow," Jack pledged as he stood to depart. "Maybe I can plan to stay overnight then, if they'll let me."

"Yeah? Promise?"

"I promise," Jack said, smiling indulgently. "I love you, Lis."

"I love you more, Cowboy."

He bent over her and kissed her lightly on the lips. He was rewarded by her smile of complete contentment. "'Bye," he whispered.

"'Bye," she answered, eyes already closing, but the smile lingered.

***

Jack waited for an elevator to reach his floor. With visiting hours concluded, non-staff activity on the unit had been winding down, and the corridors were fairly empty. When the elevator arrived, Jack stepped aside to let the single occupant—fully dressed in scrubs, surgical cap and mask—disembark. He stepped into the cab to descend. Jack nearly reached his parking lot level when he realised he had forgotten his hat behind in Lisa's hospital room. The thought crossed his mind to just leave it there for now; after all, it would be waiting for him tomorrow when he returned to see Lisa again.

No, he thought, head feels too bare. Plus, it would be another excuse to see his wife, even if it was for a few more seconds. He tapped the number on the display screen to Lisa's floor for the elevator to carry him back. So what if it was already past visiting hours? Surely they would not begrudge him this little errand.

"I forgot my hat," he said sheepishly to the nurse at the desk when he retraced his steps.

"Go on," she said with a knowing smile, waving him through.

***

Lisa had barely begun to drift off when she sensed the presence of someone else in the dim room. Probably another nurse coming for night-check, she thought sleepily. Things had reached a point where she simply let the hospital staff go about their business, whether it was checking her BP, temperature, I.V. lines, the pulse/ox machines, catheter, or whatnot. Sure enough, she could hear the sounds of the other person fiddling around with the medical machinery next to the bed. Next, her nasal cannula was gently removed. Without any warning, something soft yet unyielding dropped heavily onto her entire head, face and neck.

What on earth?! Lisa thought in panic, as her ability to draw a breath ceased completely. Something was suffocating her! Or was it someone?!

I can't breathe! Somebody help me! Her frantic thoughts screamed. She reached blindly for the call button, but it was not in its usual place by her side. Lisa next attempted to raise her right fist to combat this unexpected assault since her injured left arm would be too weak in this fight. Dull blows landed ineffectively on what she imagined might be her assailant's shoulder. She dug her fingernails uselessly into a large hand that was double-gloved. Whatever he was forcing down onto her face remained firmly in place. She tried to cry out, but her voice was totally muted by what she rightly guessed was a pillow. With her strength waning, Lisa desperately attempted to squirm away; the brute responded by leaning against her, using his body weight to keep her from escaping.

I need air! Lisa's already tortured lungs felt like they were burning. Pressure was building in her chest to intolerable levels. An awful stabbing sensation erupted in her left side without warning. Dizzying patterns of coloured blobs and flashes spun and swirled behind her eyelids like a kaleidoscope.

No! I can't die like this! Please, someone, anyone... please come now! Jack!

Blackness engulfed her as consciousness sank away.

***

The door to Lisa's room was unexpectedly closed when Jack arrived, causing him to wonder if there was some sort of private consultation or assessment going on between Lisa and her doctors. Odd for this hour, he mused. He gave the door a gentle tap just in case as he opened it. His eyes immediately fell on a nightmarish scene.

A man—dressed in the same scrubs and the same surgical cap and mask Jack had seen only minutes earlier on the elevator—was leaning over Lisa. Even from this vantage point, he could see the man was smothering her with a pillow. Not just smothering her; he was actively killing her.

Jack did not waste another second. A bellow of fury erupted from his mouth as he charged forward like a wild bull. His target barely had time to react, turning slightly in surprise at the sudden yell. From behind, Jack roughly locked his arm around the other man's neck to drag him away from Lisa.

His quarry delivered a swift elbow to the ribs, causing Jack to gasp in pain. His grip slackened. It was enough for the villain to break free and go on the offensive. Three hard blows landed in quick succession: first to Jack's gut, jaw, then his temple.

The old cowboy staggered back, bringing a hand up to cup the side of his aching head. Though he was hurting, a potent, blind rage continued to propel him towards this piece of scum who dared to harm his wife. Thankfully, he had a slight advantage in height and weight. First, Jack blocked another punch coming his way; next, he slung out a well-aimed fist of his own. With satisfaction, Jack felt his left knuckles connect solidly with the right cheekbone of the other man. Crunch! He followed with a right uppercut to the villain's chin, snapping his head back. An agonized grunt escaped his target's lips. Jack wanted to apply more damage, worked up as he was, adrenalin pumping through his veins. His initial yell of rage and sounds of their brawl, however, had begun to attract the attention of the staff, and the sound of scurrying feet and shouts outside the room put the attacker on alert.

"Code White! Unit 52! Code White! Unit 52!" droned a voice over the public address system.

"Outta my way, old man!" came the goon's muffled croak. He roughly shouldered Jack aside. Caught off-balance, Jack could not catch hold of him as he swept past to the freedom of the open door.

"Stop him!" Jack yelled hoarsely as he turned to give chase, but it was already too late. The other man was a good sprinter and had already disappeared down a hall to a stairwell exit. With dismay, Jack instinctively knew that by the time hospital Protective Services could converge on the unit, Lisa's attacker would be long gone.

Lisa! Was she okay?

"I need help in here, now!" he rasped, even as he rushed to her side. The pillow was still partially obscuring her head. Jack flung it aside to reveal a deathly pale face and blue lips just as three nurses bolted into the room.

"He-he was suffocating her with the pillow. I don't think she's breathing," Jack managed to gasp, horrified at the sight.

"Move aside!" Nurse Cheryl commanded.

Numbly, Jack managed to stumble out of the way, nearly tripping over his own feet.

This can't be happening... This can't be happening... The words beat through his brain cells on repeat mode while the nurses turned machines back on and checked Lisa's vital signs. He heard Cheryl call out "Code Blue!" and watched in disbelief as she began to administer CPR. The medical emergency in Lisa's room rang out over the public address system, bringing emergency staff hustling in with a crash cart.

"You'll have to leave," another nurse said, taking hold of Jack's arm. "Give them space. Let them work."

Jack allowed himself to be pulled out of the room, shock starting to overtake his senses as the adrenalin rush subsided.

Let her live, please! I can't... lose her... There was so much going on Jack lost track. Unidentifiable voices called out instructions.

"Charging!"

"Hands off!"

"C'mon, Lisa!"

Medications were administered. Machines whined and buzzed. Another stretcher arrived.

"Let's move!"

In a blur, the emergency team hustled Lisa's still form out of the room.

"Where-where are you taking her?" Jack called out to them. They paid him no heed and simply raced down the hallway towards a bank of elevators. He wanted so very badly to follow them, but Nurse Cheryl came to his side.

"She needs immediate surgery," Cheryl puffed, still catching her breath from her recent exertion. "Let them go."

"Surgery?!" he yelped, staring at her in stunned distress.

"She stopped breathing," Cheryl explained. "As a consequence, she went into cardiac arrest. We got her heart going again, but we think her lung re-collapsed. They're taking her to fix it."

"W-Will she be okay?"

"I don't know, Jack," Cheryl replied honestly, looking up at him with great sympathy. "I don't know how long she went without oxygen. There could be complications with her lungs. There could be irreversible brain damage. We just have to wait and see and let the doctors do their work."

Jack felt his gut clench and his fists tighten involuntarily, suddenly wishing there was something he could smash.

"Are you all right?" Cheryl asked, scrutinizing his face more intently now. "You were assaulted too, weren't you?"

"It's nothing," Jack muttered, rubbing his sore knuckles and working his jaw.

"Where did he hit you?" Cheryl asked in a tone that left no room for avoidance.

"Here, here, and here," Jack eventually admitted, indicating his abdomen, his jaw, and the side of his head.

"We should get you checked out."

"I don't want—" Jack protested, but she cut him off.

"Hey! You'll do your wife no favours if that guy gave you a concussion—or worse—a subdural hematoma when he hit you," Cheryl sternly pointed out. "Sit down here and don't move until I get a doctor. Understand?"

"Fine," Jack groused, recognizing the truth in her words. He sank into a chair, still unable to comprehend what had just happened.

That man tried to kill Lisa! If I hadn't forgotten my hat... if I hadn't come back... She would be... No, it was too awful to contemplate that tragic outcome. Even so, there was no telling if she would survive this second attempt on her life.

Overwhelmed, Jack put his head in his hands, feeling the tears come of their own volition.

***

Jack rebuttoned his shirt after having been checked over by a doctor fetched by Nurse Cheryl.

"Lungs sound clear," Dr. Kaminska said, pulling the stethoscope from her ears and pushing the vital signs monitor cart aside. "But your pulse is still rapid and your blood pressure is a tad high. I suppose that is to be expected after what you just went through. Do you take any regular medications, Mr. Bartlett?"

"Not really," he replied. "Only for angina. But I haven't had an attack in a long time."

"Do you have your nitroglycerin tablets with you now?"

Jack nodded.

"All right, I want you to take one right away if you start feeling any discomfort. Don't tough it out and don't delay."

"I won't," Jack said.

"Good. You're going to have some swelling and some ugly bruising for a little while after the punches you took, so please take it easy. If you start experiencing headaches, sudden increased pain or nausea and vomiting, I want you to come to Emergency immediately. All right?"

"All right. Thanks, Doc."

"You're welcome. I pray your wife pulls through," Dr. Kaminska said kindly. "What has happened here tonight is extremely outrageous and upsetting."

Jack merely nodded.

"Hospital security and the police will want to talk to you now," she added. "I told them no one was to disturb you until I had checked you over to make sure you were okay."

"All right," Jack said. "Send them in."

***

Parker Residence, Hudson

"Chief, there's just been another attempt on Lisa Stillman's life."

James Parker's eyebrows shot to the ceiling as this piece of news registered. "What?! Kavanaugh, what the hell happened?"

"Calgary's people were over at the hospital investigating. They're saying security video recording shows a guy dressed in scrubs getting off the elevator on the floor of her recovery room," Kavanaugh said. "Coincidentally, Jack Bartlett was just getting on the same elevator. Anyway, the scumbag's head and face were covered with a surgical cap and mask, so we have no facial details. He just breezed right into her room and no one batted an eye because of course he didn't look out of place. The only reason Stillman is even alive is because Bartlett back-tracked to retrieve his forgotten hat. Walked in and found the bastard trying to suffocate her with a pillow."

"Low-tech, but effective," Parker muttered in distaste, already making a move to get down to headquarters.

"Yeah. They got into an altercation. Bartlett says he grabbed the guy and got in a few good punches, but he took a few of his own. Security personnel were too late to nab him; he's still on the loose, but they think he fled on a motorbike."

"They 'think'?!"

"Hospital security cams around the time of the attack show the man dressed in the scrubs taking off on foot out of a south stairwell fire exit. He sprinted off through the parking lot and out onto Front Street. The next time they pick him up visually, it's on the traffic cams, and he's on a motorcycle. Unfortunately, they lost him once he was outside Calgary city limits, heading south. He must have turned off some country road somewhere and continued on to who knows where."

"Be impossible to track now," Parker lamented.

"They've issued a Canada-wide APB," Kavanaugh said. "We could get lucky."

"Yeah, right," Parker said, thinking how impossible it would be to find that particular needle in a haystack. "Is Stillman going to make it?"

"Last word is she was in surgery again," Kavanaugh said. "Her left lung re-collapsed in the attack. Time will tell if she'll pull through. If she does, I think we need to seriously look into some protection options."

"Agreed. Call the team back in and arrange a video conference with Calgary PD. Send them everything we have on the Stillman case so far, particularly the list of those investors. I'm on my way; we need to get to the bottom of this."

"Affirmative. See you soon."

***

Hudson Police Headquarters — 1:00 a.m.

"So, we're back to the targeted attack theory, then?" Kavanaugh asked.

"It would seem so," Parker replied. "And whoever it is, he's clearly not going to stop until she's dead."

"You know, I never liked Bartlett as our prime suspect, anyway," Patterson stated.

"Me, either, despite what he'd stand to gain with her out of the way," Kavanaugh remarked.

"The whole thing stinks, but not from the family," Parker declared. "I'm thinking it's got to be connected to this investors' group or her business life, and we need to find that connection before it's too late."

"The problem is we're not really turning up anything that would suggest a problem in her business life," Kavanaugh said.

"CRA audited her last tax season, though," another detective named Brian Benoit supplied.

"Yeah? They find anything fishy?" asked Parker.

"Nope. The only thing she was 'guilty' of was trying to sell a foreign property while trying to keep her business afloat here in Canada," Benoit said. "When the plan to sell the place fell through, she tried renting it. There were some seeming irregularities in her reporting of those rental revenues, but it was all sorted out."

"Yes, Jack Bartlett did mention that 'financial trouble' when I told him Lisa had been shot..." Parker said. "Time to talk to her staff and any business associates you can dig up, past and present. We need answers, and we need them fast."

"All right. We'll head to Fairfield Stables first thing in the morning to speak with her staff," Kavanaugh said.

"Good," Parker said.

Just then, the video call from the Calgary police went live, and Detective James Prescott's face popped up on the screen on the conference room wall.

"Thanks for taking the time out to chat with us, Detective Prescott," Chief Parker greeted the other man. "Any updates on the attack on Stillman?"

"Nothing past what we already know," Prescott said. "No hits on the APB, unfortunately."

"Anything shake out on your end with the list of the members of the investors' group we sent you?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Prescott replied. "One of the names you gave us, 'Tanner Gunn'—we interviewed Gunn a year ago when the Barick murders took place. Lanny Barick and Tanner Gunn had some joint business interests at the time not related to their investors' group. Nothing raised any flags back then, but with the Stanton death and now these attempts on Stillman, we took a second look."

"Go on," Parker asked.

"We know Gunn was able to collect on an insurance policy when Barick died," Prescott said. "Now, before you get all excited, Gunn did have a valid reason for having that policy. The two of them had that shared business venture and had reciprocal life insurance policies. It's not unusual for this sort of thing to be in place so that if one of the business partners dies, the loss isn't so severe for the surviving partner."

"Right, 'insurable interest'," Parker said with a nod.

"Exactly. If Gunn had died first, Barick would have collected."

"Yeah, nothing really illegal about that, on the surface," Parker said.

"Right, but I'm waiting to hear back from one of my C.I.s who might have something that could be useful," Prescott said. "See, we had insufficient cause to dig deeper into Gunn's affairs a year ago, but now that all this has happened, we're digging deeper. And from what we're uncovering, it looks like he's been involving himself in some shady stuff."

Parker seized on this point. "How 'shady' are we talking?"

"We found out Gunn has been banned from every reputable casino in Western Canada," Prescott said, "and my informant thinks he's been frequenting some illegal gambling places in Calgary, Edmonton, and points in between."

"So Gunn has a gambling problem," Parker said. "Does he have a debt problem, too?"

"That's what we're trying to find out," Prescott answered. "There's some loan sharks a couple of my undercover guys are hoping to talk to."

"All right, keep us in the loop," Chief Parker said. "And thanks for doing the legwork on this angle."

"You're welcome," Det. Prescott said. "This hospital attack is our investigation, after all. We're of course very concerned about Ms. Stillman's safety."

"As are we. You think this guy is going to try again, don't you?" Parker asked.

"Undoubtedly," Prescott replied. "Whoever it was went to great lengths to stay concealed. This was no random attack."

"So what's your plan?" asked Parker.

"Given the seriousness of the situation, we believe desperate times call for desperate measures. I have a hunch about what's going on, so I'm recommending to my chief we place an immediate protection detail on Stillman if she pulls through tonight."

Parker nodded. "I was thinking the same," he said. "I only hope it will be enough. Now tell me more about this hunch of yours."

***

South Calgary Health Campus

"Tim, I need you to get up here to the hospital as soon as you can."

The sound of his ex-father-in-law's voice in his ear at this hour was not a pleasant one for Tim. "What? Why? What time is it?"

"Late!" Jack snapped.

"What's the matter?" Tim asked, Jack's tone making him change his line of questioning as concern for Lisa's well-being now replaced his irritation at being awakened. "I thought you'd be back home by now. Is Lisa okay?"

"Someone just tried to kill her, so no, she's not okay!"

"What?!" Tim exclaimed in disbelief. "Did you say someone just tried to kill her? Again?"

"Just get your butt down here, would you?" Jack implored. "I'll explain everything."

"Fine," Tim ground out. "All right. I can be there in about 45 minutes. You're lucky it's night so I'm not going to get stuck in traffic."

"Quit yapping and get moving!"

"All right! Hold your horses, I'm moving. Geez."

***

The news that Lisa had been attacked in her room meant the family at Heartland was on a razor's edge of anxiety. They all wanted to race out to the hospital in Calgary; Jack insisted it was enough for Tim to be there for the time being. After all, with visiting hours over for the night, they would not all be welcome to loiter in the hospital hallways.

While Lyndy slept in Katie's room, Lou, Amy, Ty, and Georgie decided to keep vigil together in the living room, silently waiting for any word, but it was an uneasy silence that gripped them. For that reason, everyone was startled when Ty's cell phone buzzed around 5:00 a.m.

Ty recovered quickly and looked at the screen. TIM. "It's your dad," he said to Amy and Lou.

"Hello, Tim?" he answered, rising from the couch as he did so. He listened carefully to the message being relayed by his father-in-law, making every effort not to let his emotions overtake him.

Three pairs of eyes remained fixed on Ty, each set trying to glean something—anything from his posture or his face that would tell them what was being discussed; anything that would tell them if they should prepare for the worst, or if they should be relieved.

"Thanks, Tim," Ty eventually said. "I'll tell them." He swallowed slowly and ended the call, slipping the phone into his pocket.

"What's going on?" Georgie asked with trepidation, unable to contain herself any longer.

Ty paused for a moment before responding, able only to speak a few words at first. "Tim says..."

"What?" Amy asked, eyes wide.

Ty blinked furiously. He felt his throat constrict, but knew he had to speak the news Tim relayed.

Georgie looked to be on the verge of tears. "Ty?" she whispered.

Somehow, Ty managed to get his mouth to sound out two more words:

"Lisa's gone."

With a cry, the teen fled up the stairs to her room. Lou was torn between wanting to comfort her daughter and dealing with her own emotions at this disastrous news.

"No," Amy whispered, feeling hot tears springing up beneath her eyelids. She leaned into Ty and he brought his lips to the side of her head, giving her a gentle kiss while wrapping his arm around her shoulder. No one said anything for several beats.

Lou finally broke the stifling, uncomfortable silence. "I should go up there," she said dully, staring up towards the loft. "I just have no idea what to say to her right now."

Lou tapped gently on Georgie's bedroom door. She could hear quiet sniffles coming from her eldest daughter, and her heart plummeted. Georgie always experienced emotions very deeply, usually expressing them openly and unabashedly.

"Georgie, honey, can I come in?" Lou softly called.

A muffled sigh and hiccup was the only response.

"I'm coming in," Lou said, ignoring the lack of verbal answer.

Georgie was sitting on her bed, legs drawn up, face buried in her arms.

"I'm a really horrible person!" Georgie exclaimed, raising her head to look at her mother.

"What? Why do you say that?" Lou asked, completely thrown by this unexpected outburst. "Georgie, what are you talking about?"

She came and sat next to Georgie, draping her right arm around the teen's trembling shoulders.

Georgie's tearstained eyes met Lou's. "When I first got here... when Clint let Jack be my temporary guardian... I..."

More tears flooded Georgie's eyes, as if she were recalling a particularly bitter memory.

"You what, Georgie? It can't be that bad," Lou said encouragingly.

Her words came tumbling out. "But it is, Lou! I said really terrible things to Lisa when she came to see Jack. All I knew was she was Jack's girlfriend, and I was mad because I thought she was going to make him spend less time with me, and I thought she was this rich, snobby, stuck-up lady. I was horrible to her, and I never told her I was sorry. I never got to take it back, and now..."

"Oh, Georgie..." Lou murmured. "Sweetheart, you have to know Lisa would have never held that against you. I've said horrible things to her, too."

"You have?" Georgie asked, in spite of herself.

"Oh, yes," Lou admitted with a sigh. "And if there's anything I can tell you about Lisa, it's that she was always quick to forgive... and she was usually the first to apologize. If she was ever upset at you for whatever it was you said, I'm sure she forgot about it a long time ago. She loved you, Georgie. She loved all of us. As if we were her own."

Speaking those words now, Lou felt a sudden void she had not experienced since hearing about Marion's death. It's like losing Mom all over again, she thought. Why did I never truly notice how much a part of this family's life Lisa became? Now she's gone...

Lou held her daughter even closer to her.

***

Fairfield Stables

"No!"

"Mr. Wilkes, I know this news comes as a shock," Det. Kavanaugh said as calmly as possible to Harry after his emotional reaction when told about Lisa. "I'm so sorry. You and the staff here at Fairfield have the sympathies of the entire Hudson police department."

Head groomsman and almost lifelong Fairfield employee Harry Wilkes raised his head from his hands. "How is this possible? I-I thought she was okay! I thought she was recovering after what happened! Now you're telling me someone got to her right in her hospital room last night?! How?!"

"That's what we're trying to find out," Patterson said in a soothing voice. "That's why we're here. It's vital we find out as much as we can about her life here at Fairfield as soon as possible. You can help us with that. Do you think you can answer some questions?"

Harry tried to compose himself even as tears spilled down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I need a moment. Wait a minute, how is Jack? Is Jack okay? Does her sister—does Rachel know what's happened?"

"Mr. Bartlett is as well as can be expected, Mr. Wilkes," Patterson said gently. "I'm sure Ms. Stillman's sister has been notified."

Harry nodded and impatiently brushed aside the tears. "Sorry," he said again after blowing his nose. "This is so shocking and upsetting. I'm not sure how much help I can be, but of course I'll answer your questions. Anything to help you nail the bastard who did this."

"Thank you, Mr. Wilkes. We understand you worked for Matthew Stillman for many years before he passed," Kavanaugh began. "Then his daughter inherits Fairfield and steps in and makes massive changes to how things had been operating. Off the record: how was Lisa Stillman as a boss?"

Harry's eyes misted again, his gut clenching as he heard Kavanaugh use the past tense when referring to the woman he had watched grow up.

"Lisa... Lisa was a great boss," Harry gulped, swamped with emotion. "Not just to me; to all of us. Case in point: When she was going through a rough financial patch during the economic downturn a couple years back, she did everything she could not to lay off any of the staff, even though that's what her accountant recommended. I've known her since she was a wee little kid. She might have paid my salary, but Lisa was also a good friend. Everyone who worked for her would say the same thing. She could be demanding—it's a demanding business—but she was also fair."

Kavanaugh fired off a volley, calculated to catch Harry off-guard: "You said 'everyone who worked for her'. What about that jockey Lisa sacked about eight years ago?"

Harry fielded the question easily. "Who, Liam Comox?" A slight sneer crossed his face as he remembered the arrogant young man. "Never liked the guy, but Lisa saw potential in him. If there's anything she was guilty of, it would be that she was too generous with how many chances she gave someone; how much stock she put in them to be a better person. Anyway, last I heard, Comox went out East... Somewhere in Halifax or something like that. As much as I disliked him, I really don't think he had anything to do with this."

"And what about that manager—Laura Monson—who resigned last year under a cloud of controversy?" asked Patterson.

"Lisa wasn't even in the country when all that business with Shooting Star occurred," Harry said dismissively. "And Laura's decision to resign from Fairfield was her own."

"All right, level with us, Mr. Wilkes: did Lisa have any enemies in her business dealings? Disgruntled clients?" asked Kavanaugh.

"'Enemies'? 'Disgruntled clients'?" Harry echoed as he frowned, the furrows in his brow creasing deeply. "Not really. Fairfield is well-respected all over the world. Sure there have been clients who weren't happy with every single horse they ever bought from Lisa. But that's the nature of the business. Horses can come up lame. Winning potential isn't always fully realised. Like I said: Everyone loved Lisa. Well, that is to say... almost everyone..."

Kavanaugh looked at him sharply at this admission. "Explain."

Harry did not answer for a few beats, fumbling to find the right way to phrase the unsettling thoughts flitting through his mind. "Okay, it's not something we like to talk about," he began slowly, "but there are a lot of people out there who want to see horse racing go away. Permanently. They point to horse fatalities on the racetrack as reason enough to shut down the sport entirely. Fairfield has not been immune to that kind of criticism."

"And that 'criticism' you're talking about—anybody in particular been more than just a critic?" Kavanaugh queried.

There was a short pause while Harry considered the question carefully. "There was an animal rights group a while back," he eventually muttered, voice dripping with contempt. "Lisa got some nasty emails when one of her horses died in an accident on the racetrack. But it was an accident, pure and simple—not due to animal cruelty or mistreatment—not that any of it mattered to that particular group."

"Did Lisa report these 'nasty emails' to the police?" asked Patterson.

Harry frowned slightly. "I'm not sure. Maybe. She really didn't let that sort of thing get under her skin. Lisa loved those animals and she made sure they got the best care when they were at Fairfield. I just can't believe what's happened. Lisa didn't deserve this. I thank God her father isn't around anymore, because this would have killed him. I don't know what we're going to do... Lisa... you poor kid..."

"Mr. Wilkes, once again, you have our sympathies," Patterson said. "Thank you for answering our questions. I know this news has been very difficult for you."

Harry blew his nose again and nodded. "You're welcome. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Just a few more questions, if that's okay," Kavanaugh said.

"All right," Harry said, resigned to the fact the cops were still not finished. "Go on."

"Can you share with us what you thought about Lisa's marriage to Jack Bartlett? A man several years older, and significantly less wealthy than she was?"

"Wait, you think Jack had anything to do with this?" he exclaimed. "That's the craziest thing I've ever heard. From the times I've been able to meet him, he was nothing but devoted to Lisa. And compared to her ex-husband Dan, Jack is head and shoulders above. Lisa was never happier than when she got married to Jack. You're barking up the wrong tree, detectives. There's no way Jack Bartlett would hurt Lisa!"

Kavanaugh and Patterson exchanged a look. If there had been any lingering doubts as to Jack Bartlett's innocence, Harry had put them to rest.

"Is that all, now?" Harry asked, willing himself to calm down.

"That about covers our questions, Mr. Wilkes, but the last thing we need from you is access to all of Lisa Stillman's office files, computers and laptops, everything."

"I assume you came with a warrant?" he asked.

Kavanaugh showed Harry the document.

"Thanks," he said after looking at the judge's signed request. "Come with me. You take whatever you need if you think it will help catch the monster who did this."

"Chief, we've picked up Stillman's office PC and her work laptop along with a bunch of office files and correspondence," Kavanaugh said after dialing his boss' cell before driving off from Fairfield.

"Excellent. We'll get Benoit and the computer forensics team to go over Stillman's digital files and emails," Parker said. "See if they can come up with anything."

"We may already have a lead on that," Kavanaugh said. "Harry Wilkes says that 'Animals Have Rights Too' group had been sending Stillman some nasty messages, criticizing the horseracing industry."

"Oh, really," Parker said. "Looks like we need to find out if that animal rights group has been doing more than just sending 'nasty' messages critical of horse racing."

"You think they'd resort to murder to save the lives of a few horses?" Kavanaugh asked as he paused before buckling his seatbelt.

"I think people will resort to whatever means necessary if they think their cause is justified."

***

BREAKING NEWS

Shooting Victim Succumbs to Injuries After Brazen Second Attack

May 4, 2019

The Hudson Times—Online Version

Nadir Jutley

The motorist critically injured in a shooting on Range Road 292 has died. Calgary homicide detectives are actively investigating after the case took a dramatic turn last night at the South Calgary Health Campus. The victim, identified as notable Hudson resident Lisa Stillman, had initially undergone life-saving surgery, but was attacked in her hospital room by an unknown assailant. Attempts to revive Stillman by hospital staff were unsuccessful.

Police believe the killer managed to obtain a hospital ID access badge and entered the unit dressed as a medical professional. He escaped before hospital security personnel could apprehend him. Traffic cameras in the area appear to show the same man fleeing on a motorcycle. A Canada-wide APB has been issued.

Hospital administrators were not at liberty to comment on the incident due to the on-going nature of the investigation, but wish to assure the public that there is no current risk to patient safety.

Lisa Stillman was a well-known member of the local and international horse racing community. She was the owner and operator of Fairfield Stables, a thoroughbred breeding facility established by her late father, Matthew Stillman, in 1951.

She is survived by her husband, Foothills Rodeo Hall of Fame inductee Jackson Bartlett, one sister Rachel Stillman, nephew Benjamin Stillman, as well as numerous step-grand, and great-grandchildren.

Calgary Police are asking anyone with information to contact them immediately.

Email: nadir_jutley

***

Hudson Police Headquarters

It did not take long for Parker's team to uncover unsettling messages while combing through Lisa's email account.

"Look at this one, Chief," said Det. Benoit. "This must be the group Wilkes was talking about: a group calling themselves 'AHRT'.

"Yes, that's that group. I've heard of them before," said Parker.

"Yeah?" Benoit said, turning to look at his boss.

"They're small, but they have chapters all over the country, including one here in Alberta. Stands for 'Animals Have Rights Too'. They've had a few protests here and there; mostly at the racetracks and especially at the Calgary Stampede. A couple of their members once got into an altercation with some chuckwagon fans. But anyway, what does the email say?"

"See for yourself," Benoit said, swiveling the monitor around for Parker to read.

Re: STOP ANIMAL CRUELTY NOW!

Lisa Stillman: someone should make you run around in circles until you drop dead. or until you break both your legs and they have to put you down. wouldn't that be sporting? we would pay to see them euthanize you and everyone else like you in the horse-killing business. you're all sick and what you do to horses is loathsome. you know what you are doing is wrong. you breed these animals to such extremes that it is no longer natural. you force them to race when you know their legs cannot tolerate the stress. they die painful and unnecessary deaths. and it's all your fault. we're warning you: leave the horses alone. stop the barbaric practice of horse breeding for racing, or face the consequences!

-AHRT

"What do you think? Sounds like a threat to me," Benoit said.

"But nothing specific, aside from that vague 'or face the consequences' bit," sighed Parker. "I wish Stillman had reported this when she received it."

"Hey, you guys, you'll want to see this!" Kavanaugh called out to the team. "This is the latest entry from the AHRT Blog. As in they just posted it. It's pretty chilling."

ANIMALS HAVE RIGHTS TOO

A Blog

Date: May 4, 2019

Someone's Offing Rich Horsey People. We Ain't Even Mad.

Don't get us wrong. Of course it's not cool when some gun-crazy lunatic goes on a killing spree. But when his victims happen to be the very people who contribute the most to the unchecked cruelty towards horses? Well, let's just say we're not shedding any tears.

The first was Valerie Stanton, owner of Briar Ridge Stables in Hudson in the province of Alberta, Canada. Now she was a piece of work. Rumor has it she once sold her own daughter's prize jumper to slaughter. He barely avoided the meat truck, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Former Briar Ridge Stables staff and trainers report Stanton was abusive and would flip out over the slightest problems and mistakes. She was known to use whips on horses that did not clear jumps. Anyway, she won't be using whips any longer because some generous soul put Stanton out of her misery with a well-placed bullet.

The latest offender to take a much-deserved dirt-nap is Lisa Stillman, owner of Fairfield Stables, also of Hudson, Alberta. You'll remember this particular piece of horse-murdering scum. It was her horse Pioneer that had to be put down at Century Downs a few years ago. These bloggers personally warned Stillman numerous times about the dangers of breeding thoroughbreds to the point that their legs are so spindly they can't run a quarter-mile without breaking a foreleg. She of course completely ignored everything sent her way, choosing instead to risk the lives of innocent animals, all for the allure of a big prize purse and fame. Stillman won't be chasing after blood money ever again after a couple bullets flew her way. We're pretty sure one went straight through her cold, dark heart, and the other went through her thick skull. (At least something finally did!)

Oh, in case you needed any more proof of Stillman's proclivities and the kind of company she kept, here's an undated picture of her at Santa Anita with Riley and Elspeth Penfield. The Penfields are another couple of royal snobs who fancy themselves horse racing experts. Yeah, so expert that every race horse they've ever owned came in nearly dead last, and as a consequence ended up dead in the glue factory.

You're all of course familiar with Santa Anita, where it's "abandon all hope, ye who enter here"—if you happen to have four legs, a tail and a mane, that is. Over a dozen horses have met grisly deaths at Santa Anita within the past 10 years. They should switch around the order of a few letters in "S-a-n-t-a" and get a much more appropriate name for the place, if you get the drift.

Anyhow, we salute you, whoever you are, for making this world a safer place for equines everywhere; at least those in Hudson. You deserve an award for your service.

-AHRT Staff

"Disgusting," Patterson said with a shake of her head.

"What I wanna know is how these 'AHRT Staff' writers knew those details about Stillman's shooting," Benoit observed. "We made sure the media never specified."

"Could be a lucky guess, or even a little creative wishful thinking on their part, but you're right," Parker said. "It's a little too much of a coincidence Stillman was shot in the left side and the head. I want to talk to these people, Benoit. Get me some names and addresses. I have so many questions for them."

"Okay, we have some of these AHRT people in the system already," Benoit said after a few keystrokes returned the desired results. "Mostly public mischief stuff and some restraining orders. One, in fact, issued by Valerie Stanton a few years ago, like her son said."

"Names, please, Benoit."

"Coming up, sir," Benoit said. "We've got a Margot Gwyneth Carpenter of Red Deer, Alberta; Layton Luther Moffett of Calgary—"

"Layton Moffett?" Patterson repeated, looking at the picture of the man in question as Benoit flashed it on the TV screen. "Chief, he was on the scene at Lisa Stillman's shooting."

Parker glared back at her. "Are you certain?"

"One hundred percent, sir," she asserted. "He stopped his little orange Smart car along with some of the rubbernecking drivers that afternoon. The difference was he actually got out. Didn't get in the way, but was asking questions of anyone who would give him the time of day."

"Then it's possible he could have seen her injuries from where he was," Benoit said.

"Possibly," Patterson replied slowly. "It would explain how the AHRT staffers knew where and how many times Stillman was shot so they could write it up for the blog entry."

"I still don't like it," Parker grumbled. "Let's bring Moffett in for a bit of questioning; find out exactly what he was doing out here and how much he knows about what happened."

***

Hudson Police Headquarters

Layton Luther Moffett appeared wary and alert when Chief Parker sat down with Detective Kavanaugh to question him two hours later.

After reminding the young man he was merely being questioned and that he was free to go at any time, Parker began to drill him.

"Do you recognize the name 'Lisa Stillman'?"

"Sure do," Layton said with a bob of his head, almost cracking a smile. "Heard she just died. Heard someone shot her and then someone attacked her in her hospital room. Guess someone really wanted her dead, eh? What is this world coming to?"

"What were you doing out on Range Road 292 on the afternoon of May 2nd?"

"I was out for a country drive," Layton said airily.

"No crime against that, of course," Parker said.

"Nope," Layton said. "You're going to ask me why I stopped on that drive, aren't you?"

"As a matter of fact, we are," Parker said. "Why did you stop?"

"Because there was a car accident," Layton said. "I know First Aid. I thought I could be of assistance. But the paramedics were there already, so it was all good. I mean, all good then. Obviously it wasn't 'all good' for Lisa Stillman once she got to the hospital."

Both Parker and Kavanaugh took note of his almost blasé attitude. He seemed almost pleased to talk about what he knew of Lisa's fate as a small smirk tugged at his lips.

"You live in the northwestern quadrant of the city of Calgary," Parker said, returning to Layton's reasons for lurking around Hudson. "Do you often take drives out to Hudson?"

"When the mood strikes me," Layton said with an air of indifference, peering at his fingernails.

"What do you know about a horse by the name of 'Herring'?" Parker asked.

Layton's glance shifted from his hands to Parker's face. "I heard Lisa Stillman was the owner," the young man finally answered after a few beats. "I heard he was hurt by a bear after..."

"After what?" Parker prompted.

Layton swallowed. "After that Valerie Stanton woman from Briar Ridge was shot dead."

"And what can you tell us about that, Mr. Moffett?" Kavanaugh asked.

"Only what I saw in the news," Layton replied, though the officers could see he was growing more nervous.

"Funny that," Parker said. "The name of the horse was never made public. Care to change your answer?"

Layton appeared instantly uncomfortable. "Okay, look," he said, squirming slightly. "Our staff occasionally pose as potential buyers for horses we think are at risk for abuse or the meat truck. Herring was one of those horses."

"Let's say for a moment we believe you," Parker said, humouring the man, "how did you find out it was Herring that was injured?"

"We just put two and two together," Layton replied. "I called the Fairfield office a few weeks ago saying I was interested in buying him. Look, the Fairfield website lists all its available stock for everyone to see. It's not a crime to look at horses on websites, is it?"

"No, it's not," Parker conceded. "Now get to the part where you know it was Herring!"

"I called Fairfield again yesterday," Layton said. "I said I had not forgotten about Herring and hoped Fairfield had enough safety precautions in place to prevent bear attacks from happening like the one I'd read about."

"So you were just fishing for information," Kavanaugh said.

"Yeah," Layton admitted. "And the man I spoke to told me all the horses at Fairfield were safe, but that unfortunately they could not control what happened to horses off-site, and that Herring had indeed been hurt. He was all apologetic, like I'd be upset I couldn't buy the horse right away and they'd lose out on a sale. It's always money with those people."

Parker and Kavanaugh exchanged a look. The story seemed plausible.

"Look, if no one there is concerned about that horse past what profits it can make them—"

"Enough with your posturing, Mr. Moffett," Parker snapped in annoyance. "We're not done questioning you."

Layton crossed his arms in sullen defiance. "What else, then?"

"We know Valerie Stanton had issued a restraining order against you and the other members of the 'Animals Have Rights Too' Alberta chapter. If we find out you've been in violation of that—"

"She's dead now, so why should it matter?" Layton smarmily interrupted. "But even when she was alive, I didn't pass within 100 yards of Stanton, or her horses, or her property after that bogus order was placed. I'm a law-abiding citizen who exercises his right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression. People like Valerie Stanton and Lisa Stillman get away with animal abuse all the time, and you people turn a blind eye. You waste your time threatening us with arrest when you ought to be investigating people like them for verifiable crimes against innocent animals."

"Are you done?" Parker asked, unmoved by Layton's impassioned speech.

"Yeah," Layton mumbled. "Can I go, now? I haven't done anything wrong, and I certainly didn't shoot Valerie Stanton or Lisa Stillman, if that's what you're really wondering. I don't even own a firearm."

"We already knew that," Kavanaugh said, "but thanks for saying so."

"One last question, Mr. Moffett," Parker said.

"What?"

"You were driving into Hudson when Lisa Stillman was shot," Parker said. "Do you recall passing someone on a motorbike heading in the opposite direction?"

"Maybe," Layton said.

"Yes or no, Moffett!" Parker barked.

"Look, I read the papers," Layton eventually said. "I know you were looking for a guy on a motorcycle as a 'person of interest' in the shooting, or whatever. And you know what? Yeah, I did see a guy on a motorcycle when I was driving in to Hudson that day. But that's all I'm going to tell you, because quite frankly, whoever that guy is? He's a hero for trying to take out Stillman. He deserves an award."

"Kavanaugh, get him out of my sight," Parker growled in disgust. "I don't want to see you in Hudson ever again, Mr. Moffett, do I make myself clear? Now get out of here!"

***

Chapter 9: Dark Horse Candidate

#heartland #heartland fanfiction #my fanfiction #Bad Business: A Heartland Murder Mystery #JISA #JISA fic #Jack Bartlett #Lisa Stillman #Amy Fleming #Ty Borden #Lou Fleming #Nadir Jutley #Georgie Fleming Morris #Chief Parker #Tim Fleming #Tanner Gunn #Val Stanton

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the-real-tc · 2 years

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UPDATE! Wide River to Cross: Final Chapter

Author's Note: Here is it, folks! The concluding chapter to this fic. Thanks to all of you, Anonymous and Followers, for sticking with it this long and for all your lovely comments and encouragement over the past few years while I ground this one out. I hope you like what I have to offer here. Of course there are a few scenes I had to write verbatim from the episode in question because the scenes are important, but I trust it's not going to be too boring to re-tread stuff we already know so well.

Here we go! Please enjoy.

Chapter 27: Love is a Fire

There was no mistaking the notes of anger and disappointment in Dan Hartfield's voice when Lisa informed him she had taken Fairfield off the market.

"You did what?" he nearly yelled into the phone.

Instead of allowing his misplaced indignation to affect her in the slightest, Lisa let the question slide off her back.

"I took Fairfield off the market," Lisa calmly repeated herself.

"Why would you do a crazy thing like that? I thought we were moving ahead with our venture in France—"

"We were," Lisa interrupted. "I've come to the conclusion your little 'venture' will not be the best use of my finances, especially after what you pulled with Flyer and Rhapsody."

"Now, wait a minute," Dan said nervously, sensing his carefully crafted plans were about to be all undone.

"No, I don't have a minute, Dan," Lisa said firmly. "Here's what's going to happen: I'm keeping Flyer and I'm keeping the foal when it arrives. You will have no further access to my broodmares or my studs without my full knowledge and consent, or I promise you I will take legal action against you."

"Oh, for what, exactly?" Dan spat, ire rising.

"Misappropriation of funds and breach of contract," Lisa answered.

"'Breach of contract'?!" Dan sputtered, his voice rising in pitch.

Lisa knew that tone well, and knew she had him cornered despite his protests.

"Yes," she affirmed. "I've granted you free access to Fairfield's stock up to now as a courtesy because of your status as 'business partner'. But you know as well as I do you were still contractually bound to have my signature on anything pertaining to breeding. You flat-out lied to me about how you were using the funds from the sale of my share of the Dude Ranch. You were hoping I wouldn't find out or that I wouldn't care you were cloning Flyer."

"Look, I didn't lie—" Dan muttered lamely.

"Oh, but you did," Lisa cut in. "You deliberately concealed the fact you were using those funds to pay for some of the installments of the cloning procedure and all the special little check-ups from the vets who were not Scott Cardinal—"

"You know you can't prove that's how I was using those funds," Dan sniveled.

"Do you really want to go down this road, Dan? Take your loss and move on, or I promise you I will fight you on this," Lisa warned.

"This is all about Jack Bartlett, isn't it?" Dan suddenly blurted out.

"Don't change the subject," snapped Lisa. "My relationship with Jack Bartlett is none of your business."

"I knew it," Dan said sourly. "That old man has only ever been after your money, Lisa. Surely you realise that!"

"Well, if it isn't the pot calling the kettle black," retorted Lisa. "My lawyer is sending you papers right now that stipulate you're relinquishing all rights to the ownership of the clone of Flyer. You will sign those papers, Dan, or I promise there will be further serious legal action."

"Whatever, Lisa," Dan groused. "Just don't come crawling back to me when Jack Bartlett drains you dry of every penny. Heartland ranch is sinking into oblivion and always has been. Surely you're not so blinded by 'love' to see that you're just Jack's meal ticket."

"That's funny, Dan, because I always figured that's what I was to you," Lisa replied. "Your business in the 'States went down so badly after we divorced that you had to follow me back here to try to recapture what you once had by partnering with me again."

"I've done just fine on my own, thank you very much," Dan sneered. "In fact, as I recall, it was you who needed me to bail you out with that little Diva Girl fiasco, isn't that right?"

"That is true," Lisa admitted, "but that wasn't all altruism on your part, either, was it? You knew it would make me beholden to you. You knew if you had me in your corner for the business side of things, you'd be more likely to attract clients again."

By Dan's lack of response to this, Lisa knew her assessment was spot on.

"You're lucky I haven't severed business ties with you completely, Dan," Lisa concluded. "God knows everyone else would have."

"Now, now, no need to be that rash," Dan said in a conciliatory manner, a hairsbreadth shy of desperation. "I'll sign those papers relinquishing all ownership of the foal if it'll make you happy, Lisa."

"Yes, it would make me very happy," Lisa said. "Thank you for that, Dan. Have a nice day."

Lisa hung up before he could utter another word, for Dan Hartfield had nothing else to say that she wanted to hear.

***

The For Sale signs that were up around Fairfield were gone from sight. On a whim, Jack drove past the property and noticed their absence. His route into Hudson would not normally take him past Lisa's homestead, but this time he was in the mood for a little impromptu detour. Not that he had any plans to drop in on her; it was a work day and she was bound to be very busy.

She's staying, Jack thought happily to himself as a smile curled his lips. Now it's up to me to make that a lasting arrangement. With that in mind, he gave his side coat pocket a little pat. Yes, the little pink velvet box was right there. Soon, Jack hoped, its contents would be put to good use after decades of languishing in the back of his chest of drawers.

Time get to get this ring cleaned up, nice and professionally, Jack mused, and continued into town for this important errand.

Jack was not sure how long it would take to clean; the stone might even require re-setting after all this time. It did appear to be a little loose to his untrained eye. He would ask the jeweller to check it over, just to be sure. There was no way he was going to be giving Lisa a defective piece, especially after his first disastrous attempt at a proposal so many years ago.

No, I'm going to make darn sure everything goes right this time, Jack firmly decided. I've wasted too much time, already.

***

"So, how's my girl doing?"

Scott Cardinal pulled his stethoscope to rest on his shoulders before answering Lisa's question.

"Everything in this pregnancy is progressing just fine," he said of Rhapsody.

"Good," Lisa remarked with a sigh of relief, giving the horse's neck a gentle stroke. "I was out of the loop for too long about this... Scott, I know it goes without saying, but I hope I can count on you to keep private the fact we're dealing with a clone, here."

"Of course," Scott said, looking her straight in the eye to show his sincerity. "Doctor/patient confidentiality is still in play here, even if that patient is a horse."

Lisa smiled at this. "Thanks, Scott. This has certainly got to be the craziest scheme my idiot of an ex-husband has got me into."

"You're not on board with cloning, eh?" asked Scott.

"I don't know," Lisa said with a diffident shrug of her shoulders. "I really hadn't given it much thought since clones can't compete in any sanctioned races. Just the expense alone would have made it a pretty foolhardy investment, especially with all the risks involved."

"What are your plans for when the foal arrives?"

Lisa grimaced slightly. "At this point, I'm not sure. I'll have a horse that can't race, but also one with invaluable bloodlines. It's complicated."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Scott said with a reassuring smile.

"Thanks for that, Scott," Lisa said. "I appreciate your support."

"Anytime, Lisa," the veterinarian commented. "Uh, if I may speak freely, since it's none of my business—"

"Of course," Lisa said encouragingly.

"—and this has absolutely nothing to do with my own bottom line—" Scott continued with a grin, "I'm really glad you've decided not to sell Fairfield and that you're staying in Hudson. Your leaving would have left a pretty significant hole in this community."

"That's very kind of you to say, Scott," she said humbly. "But I have to admit leaving Hudson would have left a pretty significant hole in my heart..."

Scott did not press her to clarify that point, as he had a fairly good idea she was not referring solely to Hudson.

Once Scott was on his way, Lisa lingered in Rhapsody's stall for a few more moments. I can't remember the last time I took some time out of my busy day to just visit with one of the horses, she contemplated.

Thanks to Scott's good news about how the mare's pregnancy was progressing, some of the anxieties over the whole cloning procedure were starting to ease, and with the passing days, her anger with Dan was starting to wane. Holding a grudge or remaining upset was simply not part of her personality, even when it came to her ex-husband.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do with your foal when he arrives, Girl," Lisa whispered to Rhapsody. "But I promise you he's going to be very well taken care of, just like the first Fairfield Flyer."

Rhapsody nickered as if in reply to this pledge, and Lisa finally exited the stall to return to her office and other important business matters.

***

By the time Jack had the cleaned and newly-set ring from the jeweller's shop back in his possession, he realised he would have to bide his time a little longer. Lisa was once again being called away to France on business, and would be there for several weeks.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Cowboy," Lisa said to him as they stood at the entrance to Concourse D at Calgary International Airport.

"I'm gonna miss you, too, Lis," Jack admitted with a deep smile. "It'll be a long, lonely November before you're back home."

Home.

The word felt so natural coming from his lips, as if Hudson really was her home at last—or at least Jack had every intention of keeping it that way. For a fleeting moment between picking up the ring and dropping Lisa off at the airport, Jack had entertained the notion of proposing to her before she got on her flight. He quickly nixed that idea, however. An airport terminal was hardly the place for a heartfelt proposal, and he had every confidence she would be returning to him even without a promise of her hand in marriage.

Lisa draped her arms over his shoulders to draw him in for a kiss, which he willingly accepted. She held him like that, deepening the kiss for several more seconds.

"Hmm," Jack murmured when she finally released him, "what was that for?"

She grinned at him. "That's so you don't forget me while I'm gone, Cowboy."

"I could never," he started, then caught the teasing glint in her eye.

"After all, you have this neighbour who's had her eye on you for years," Lisa continued, "I can't be too sure you won't be swayed by her feminine wiles in my absence."

Jack mirrored her grin. "Come here, you," he said with a chuckle, and he pulled her in for what she would have to admit was a sizzling 'mean something' kiss.

They finally broke apart, leaving her head swimming and her heart soaring.

"That is so you won't forget me," Jack said. "After all, I can't be too sure about the motives of those fresh French young men you go dancing with while you're in Paris or Avignon or Toulon."

A laugh bubbled up from Lisa's throat. "After that kiss, Cowboy, I'd be a fool to forget you."

"Well, good," Jack said happily. Knowing he could not delay her departure any longer, he uttered a reluctant farewell. "See you in December, Lis."

"See you in December, Cowboy," she rejoined.

"I love you," he said as she moved towards the entrance, wheeling her luggage behind her.

Lisa paused and turned to face him. "I love you more," she said solemnly, and blew a kiss in his direction.

With that, she headed off to check in for her flight.

For the entire drive back into Hudson, a smile of contentment never left Jack's face. The icy fingers of winter might have been threatening to trace a frozen path across the Southern Alberta landscape, but Jack's heart was warmed by the assurance of Lisa's love for him, and of her return.

Lisa's flight to Paris once again included a stopover in Toronto. Though it was the same route she had taken back in January, she felt as light as air this time around. This time, she knew she would be coming back.

I'll be coming back home, she mused in wonder. I'll be coming back home to the man I love; back to the man who loves me. What a difference between then and now. Jack, I'm so happy, and I can't wait to be back in your arms again.

There were no tipsy passengers trying to make a pass at her; no storms to rattle the plane between Pearson and Charles de Gaulle airports. The flights seemed to pass in a blur, and when Lisa arrived in Paris, the first thing she wanted to do was let Jack know she had arrived safely.

To her surprise, when she reached her hotel and pulled out her iPhone, she had a text message waiting.

'dear lisa send me a text when you get this to let me know you arrived safely love you jack ps surprised im texting arent you'

The smile on Lisa's face stretched from ear to ear upon reading Jack's rudimentary attempts at navigating his flip phone's T9 texting function. She abandoned her luggage, dropped her shoulder bag to the floor, kicked off her shoes, and settled onto the bed to respond to Jack's message.

'Dear Cowboy,

Made it to Paris safe and sound. Yes I sure am surprised to see u texting! Look at u learning new tricks! Love u, too.

- Lisa'

Back in Hudson, Jack heard the chime of his flip phone's message alert tone while cantering out to check on the herd with Tim. It was so seldom he heard the unfamiliar noise, he almost did not recognize it for what it was. From atop his mount, he dug the device out of his coat pocket excitedly: there was only one person who could possibly be sending him a text at this moment.

With a satisfied smile, he read Lisa's text. He did not even mind it when Tim accused him of behaving like a teenager. Jack chuckled at that descriptor. Tim grouchily added he was behaving like a teenager who was unable to multi-task. Jack chuckled again. Well, maybe he was behaving like a teenager. A teenager in love, Jack thought, just like the song. He was in love again, and he was happy about it. Plus, this whole texting thing, besides being part of that technological world he usually avoided, was actually a lot like sending a telegram.

Short and to the point. Jack voiced this thought for Tim's benefit. His mood was thoroughly upbeat as he sent off a final "goodnight" text to Lisa. She would no doubt be exhausted from her travels. Her final text to him mentioned she would be having a quick dinner before heading to bed.

Better you than me, Jack mused, remembering how much he hated the jet lag that accompanied his own miserable trip to France. I still don't know how you do it, Lis, but I can't wait until you're back here with me. Jack did not have more time to dwell on that subject. Tim, impatient as ever, was sprinting off ahead of him in pursuit of the herd.

***

After spending two weeks wrapping up certain business interests in Paris, Lisa travelled on to Toulon. She was not sure what the social climate would be when she arrived, given how scarce she had made herself after the unfortunate encounter with Alphonse Thibault so many months ago. That, and everyone's terrible opinion about me and Jack, Lisa recalled. Oh, well. I don't need their validation. Not like Jack will ever make it back to France, anyway.

Lisa noted a tiny hint of sadness still lingering from the fact Jack did not enjoy his time when he was in France, but that sadness could not compete with the happier fact of their reconciliation.

So we'll never have Paris, she realised. And maybe that's okay. I can accept that he doesn't like it here, can't I? I wish he did, because if he joined me here, we wouldn't be apart from each other as often...

She was lost in these thoughts while navigating the aisle of a local grocery near her vacation home when she felt a hand on her shoulder. In surprise, she turned at this unexpected contact.

"Lisa! I thought it was you!"

Brenda Dufresne was beaming at her.

Guardedly, Lisa said, "Brenda! I, uh, I didn't expect to bump into you."

"Nor did I," Brenda said, still smiling. "When did you arrive? I did not know you were coming."

"I got in this morning," Lisa replied brusquely, peering around her friend, wondering where her obnoxious husband Frank might be.

"I wish you had called," Brenda chided. "I would have prepared a welcome supper for you."

"Oh, no," Lisa demurred with a quick shake of her head. "You know I don't expect—"

"Nonsense," Brenda interjected. "After all your travelling you should not have to think about preparing something for yourself on the first night. Come by this evening, please."

"Well..." Lisa dithered, knowing anything Brenda cooked was going to be delicious. The few items in her own basket were starting to look dull and unappetizing.

"Oh, and Francois is off visiting his sister and her family in Nice," Brenda said offhandedly, "so it will just be you and I."

"You didn't go with him?" asked Lisa, more out of politeness than genuine curiosity, though she was honestly relieved to hear Frank was not around.

"Oh, no," Brenda said with a dismissive thrust of her hand. "Francois and I need our times apart."

When Brenda caught her questioning look, she elaborated.

"Lisa," she said, a wry smile flashing on her face, "surely you know my husband is not the easiest of people to live with."

Lisa's own lips curled of their own volition. "I wasn't going to say a word."

"I have said before he can be an ass sometimes, but he is still such a dear," Brenda declared. "However, if we should always be together, we should have killed each other by now. I would have strangled him or he would have strangled me."

Noting the shocked and bemused expression on Lisa's face, Brenda continued: "What is the expression? 'La familiarité engendre le mépris'?"

"Oh, 'Familiarity breeds contempt'," Lisa said thoughtfully, translating the phrase. "I guess you're right." Her own thoughts flew back to how her marriage to Dan crumbled, and how it took their lengthy separation during her father's illness and death to make her realise she did not actually love him.

But I don't think I'd ever be able to stay away from Jack much longer than a few weeks, she thought. These months we were apart is what nearly killed me. But maybe Brenda is right. Maybe the fact Jack and I have these breaks when I'm called away to France is what makes us work so well. After all, didn't he hate the time we spent together in France? If I'd just gone on my own, we would never have broken up the way we did. Hmm...

"What do you say? Will you come?" Brenda asked, a hopeful expression on her eager face.

"Okay, you've twisted my arm," Lisa said with a smile.

"Ah, bon!" Brenda said. "Come at six."

"Six o'clock it is," Lisa confirmed. "Thanks, Brenda. You know I actually can't resist your cooking."

"You are too kind, Lisa. See you later."

"À bientôt," Lisa rejoined.

The two friends parted ways after a quick hug. Absent was any hint of the prior awkwardness that had spoiled their last meeting.

***

Jack took a leisurely drive out to his private fishing cabin. The weather this late November morning had turned colder than it had been so far this autumn season. He could feel the bite of the cold on his exposed cheeks as he stepped out of the truck to gaze at the surrounding beauty of the river and the rugged mountains.

He took slow, deliberate steps to a particular spot on the riverbank. It was a spot etched in his memory, even though no official marker existed to show precisely where he had spread his late wife's ashes.

The sound of the water gently coursing its way down from the Rockies filled Jack's ears. It was a sound he always found to be particularly comforting. Lyndy had thought so, too, often remarking she could fall asleep to it more easily than anything else.

You loved this place so much, Lyndy. I'm so glad we got to share so many good times together here... So many good memories.

"There have been days when I miss you, Lyndy," Jack spoke aloud as he peered out at the babbling river. "I am... so grateful for the years we had together. We should've had more. I wish you could have seen how beautifully our granddaughters have grown up. I wish you could have seen your great-granddaughter, Katie.

"You know, all those years I spent on the rodeo circuit... weeks at a time away from you... Lyndy, you were the only one for me. And I was always so glad to come back home to you, and to our daughter.

"I didn't think there could ever be someone for me after you. I didn't even think I'd want someone after you. But there is someone now... I think she's someone you would have liked if you'd had the chance to meet her. I see the way Lisa loves our girls, especially Katie. Dotes on 'em a little too much, maybe... but that's her way of showing others she loves 'em.

"I didn't think there would ever be someone who could love me after I lost you, but Lisa does. That's why I'm going to ask her to marry me, Lyndy. I wanted you to know that, because after all our years together, and after all the years without you, it finally feels right to move on with someone new. Thank you for those years we had as husband and wife. I will never forget them."

Dry-eyed, Jack turned finally from the bank of the river. He climbed back into the truck, feeling a sense of peace and satisfaction washing over him.

You need someone to keep you young.

The words spoken to Jack by Lyndy in a dream from years ago seemed to echo right then, almost like a confirmation his late wife approved of his choice. Heart full of joy-filled memories of the distant past, and with the promise of new joys to come, a sense of happiness and contentment rode with Jack all the way back to Heartland.

***

Lisa breezed into the kitchen at Heartland for her lunch date with Jack, laden with a basket containing a bottle of wine that was a gift from Denys Laporte, and turkey and Swiss sandwiches she had prepared for the occasion. It felt comfortable to be here in his presence, almost like she belonged. The turkey and Swiss sandwiches had been a purposeful choice, and it had the desired effect of reminding them both of that long ago picnic they shared on the way to the horse sale in High River. Despite the fact their late arrival at the auction meant Lisa missed out on the sale she was hoping to be present for, getting to spend time with Jack had been her primary motive for inviting him in the first place.

"Boy, that seems like a long time ago," Lisa commented wistfully.

"That's because it was a long time ago," Jack added, "and we're still enjoying our time together, aren't we?"

"Yeah," Lisa agreed, then added: "and our time apart."

"To you and me," Jack stated, as they touched wine glasses together in a toast.

"You know what? I bet that's what makes us work," said Lisa, after taking a sip of the wine.

"What's that?" asked Jack as they seated themselves to begin eating.

"Well, I bet if we spent all our time together, we'd kill each other," she replied, thinking of Brenda Dufresne's assessment of her relationship with her husband Frank not so long ago in Toulon.

Jack was not buying it. "I would bet the opposite," he countered. I love having you here with me, Lisa. And very soon, I'm going to prove to you just how much I want you in my life, if you'll have me.

"Oh you would, would you?" Lisa asked playfully. "All right, let's put that bet to a test: how 'bout tomorrow you come spend a few days at my house?"

"Your place?"

"Mm-hmm," confirmed Lisa with an impish glint in her eyes. "See who wins this bet. If we survive, that is."

"You're on," said Jack, already planning ahead to exactly how he hoped to spend the time with Lisa at Fairfield, all with the goal of winning the bet. And in his mind, nothing less than a "yes" to his question of marrying him would do.

***

The rest of the family had gone back to bed; the embarrassment over Jack and Lisa's attempts to sneak into the house unnoticed had dissipated. Jack placed a hot toddy in Lisa's hands, preparing himself to articulate the words he had been wanting to speak ever since her return to Hudson. He had been stymied earlier at Fairfield, and later at the Dude Ranch. The timing at both places had simply not seemed right, anyway. Here and now, though, in front of the fireplace, was probably as intimate a setting as he was likely to find any time soon.

It's now or never, Jack thought.

"Pretty crazy couple of nights, I admit," he started to say as he joined her on the couch, "but at least we didn't kill each other, and in spite of it, we're still laughing, right?"

Lisa chuckled slightly and they clinked their mugs.

Jack knew it would be impossible to ignore the fact of their disparate lifestyles; however, it was also impossible to ignore the fact they still loved each other despite those differences. He reasoned it out to her that they were two adults who loved each other, and there should therefore be no problems—only solutions.

"What are those solutions?" asked Lisa.

"I let you slip through my fingers once before, and I am not about to do it again," Jack said, taking her mug from her hands and setting it aside. After all, he needed them to be free if she was going to accept what he hoped to give her in a few short moments.

"Now this," he said, reaching into the right-side pocket of his jeans, "was my grandmother's wedding ring, and I want you to have it."

Lisa watched him produce the tiny velvet box he had been carrying around with him for the past two days. A small gasp escaped her throat as he opened the lid, not daring to hope... He's giving me his grandmother's wedding ring? Lisa thought, wondering what precipitated this unusual gift. Surely this heirloom should go to Lou or Amy? Surely he couldn't be asking me to...

Jack held the ring up to her between his fingers. "Now I've been meaning to say this the right way for a very, very long time..."

The dumbfounded expression on Lisa's face told Jack he had taken her completely by surprise. There was an emotional catch in his voice as he asked: "Lisa Stillman, will you do me the honour of marrying me?"

"What?!" Lisa exclaimed, utterly astonished that Jack was actually speaking these words. After so many years of settling for whatever it was they had up to now, after so many years of hoping...

"Will you marry me, yes or no?" repeated Jack, as if she needed to be convinced this was not some elaborate joke.

"Yes, I will!" Lisa answered enthusiastically. "Lord knows how we're gonna make it work, but Jack Bartlett, I will marry you!"

Jack happily slipped the ring on her finger, and the pair joyfully embraced.

***

The exhilaration of their engagement carried over into the next morning, making it difficult to keep the news a secret from the rest of the family. They parted after Jack promised Lisa he would take care of all the details; she simply had to show up.

It was the kind of whirlwind wedding neither of them ever thought would happen, but in less than twelve hours, Jack had indeed managed to set things up at the Dude Ranch in a way he hoped would appeal to his soon-to-be-bride.

Back at Fairfield, Lisa reflected on how different this wedding was going to be as opposed to the elaborate one she had with her ex-husband. This one was sure to be simple, as elopements usually were.

All a reminder that the big, fancy wedding is zero indication of the longevity of the marriage itself, she thought ruefully. In any case, she did make an effort to carefully choose her wardrobe, deciding on an outfit she just happened to have picked up on her most recent trip to Paris. Who knew I'd be getting use out of it so soon? Lisa thought. But I can't think of a better reason for it to make its debut.

Her hairstylist fortunately had a cancellation that afternoon, so Lisa booked the spot immediately. The hours leading up to their elopement seemed to alternately drag and speed by. Unlike the hours leading up to her marriage to her ex-husband, Lisa felt zero qualms or hesitations this time around. While she waited at Fairfield for the hired car to carry her to the Dude Ranch, Lisa could not help but admire the antique ring Jack had given her. I'm going to be marrying Jack Bartlett, she thought in amazement. I'm so happy.

By late afternoon, Jack was satisfied everything was in order at the Dude Ranch for the ceremony. Back at the ranch house, he packed his overnight bag, stowed it in his truck, showered, and grabbed his good suit. The rest of the family seemed blessedly pre-occupied with their departure for the futurity race Amy would be competing in to help Caleb and Ty.

Jack had no time to stop and answer Lou and Tim's questions when they did eventually notice his suit bag. He had a wedding to get to and a woman to marry.

***

The vintage Rolls Royce meandered down the gravel road between the cabins towards the pier at the Dude Ranch. Jack felt his heart swell with pride as his lovely bride-to-be stepped out when the chauffeur opened the door for her.

He's wearing the suit I had tailor-made for him so long ago, Lisa noticed when she took in his frame. I used to think I'd made a terrible mistake when I did that, but now...

They grinned at each other almost giddily as Jack gently took Lisa's arm to guide her to Randy, the Justice of the Peace, both sharing a laugh of delight that this was finally happening.

"You look so beautiful," Jack uttered, more sincerely than he had ever done in his life.

"Thank you," Lisa answered, thinking how handsome he looked. "I knew you'd get good use out of that suit."

The couple stood in the semi-darkness of the late evening before the lit firepit, surrounded by the cabins all strung up with twinkling lights as if for the Christmas holidays. The rumble of an approaching truck nearly broke the spell. Someone was crashing the wedding.

In surprise and dismay, Jack realised his folly: Tim Fleming had figured out the reason for the appearance of his good suit. There was no convincing the man to turn back and forget what he had seen. Seeking Lisa's tacit approval, Jack allowed his insufferable ex-son-in-law to stand with him as his Best Man.

Jack stared intently at Lisa as Randy asked if he would take her to be his lawfully wedded wife.

"I do," he answered solemnly.

The smile on Lisa's face was a mile wide as she looked at Jack. "I do, too," she said, jumping the gun.

Randy almost laughed. "Wait a minute, Lisa! Your turn's next."

"Sorry," Lisa chuckled, abashed at her little gaffe.

"All right," Randy said, suppressing a smile, "do you, Lisa, take Jack to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I absolutely, one hundred-percent do," Lisa said heartily, gazing wide-eyed at Jack.

They exchanged rings, and listened as Randy spoke the words they had longed to hear:

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Jack, you may kiss the bride."

Tim did his best to prevent a couple tears of happiness from leaking out of his eyes as he watched Jack and Lisa kiss each other for the first time as a married couple.

I guess I'm just an old softie, Tim thought, but it's about time these two got hitched! And they know they have me to thank for it...

"We did it," Lisa said, after they pulled back from their kiss.

"We did it," Jack echoed, so happy and relieved he had made this dream come true for both of them.

***

The chauffeur went on his way. Randy made his departure after the registry was signed. Tim nudged Jack a couple times suggestively before making his way back to his truck. Jack made him promise not to tell a soul what he had just witnessed, though he fretted the man would not be able to keep silent about it for very long.

"Shall we?" Jack said to Lisa, taking her arm to lead her inside the main cabin.

"We shall," Lisa said, walking with him across the threshold.

Once inside, Jack immediately crossed over to the hearth to stoke up the fire. It had been burning earlier while he and Randy waited for Lisa, and to ensure the cabin wasn't freezing cold when it was time to retire there following the ceremony. He had banked the fire prior to her arrival for safety purposes, but now it was time to get it blazing again.

Lisa gazed in wonder around the cabin, touched by all the effort Jack had evidently put into making both the exterior and the interior special. Knowing he had done it all by himself was even more impressive, given the fact no one in the family except Tim was aware of what was happening that night. Dozens of tea candles covered various surfaces, and now Jack set about lighting them, too. Once they were all lit, he shut off the electric bulbs. A soft, muted glow from the fire and the candles bathed the space with a cheery warmth. The duvet on the bed was covered with a multitude of rose petals, and their fragrance wafted about the room, mingling with the smoky odour emanating from the fireplace. Lisa felt herself relaxing as she sat down in one of the easy chairs, removing her boots, faux fur-lined cap, and overcoat.

"Champagne?" Jack asked, reaching for the bottle from the ice bucket.

"Yes, please," Lisa said, extending her champagne flute to him. He filled both her glass and his before sitting in the seat opposite her.

"To us," Jack toasted.

"To us," Lisa said, and they touched their glasses together. The couple drank to their health and their new union, each basking in the moment.

"How long until Tim spills the beans on all this?" Lisa asked presently, as she leaned back in the chair, wondering how the man had somehow managed to guess what they were up to.

"Oh, I don't know," Jack said, setting aside his drink. "He won't, if he knows what's good for him."

Lisa smirked at this. "When would you like to tell everyone? We can't keep it a secret forever. In fact, I'm so thrilled we've done this, I'm bursting to tell the whole world." She glanced admiringly at the ring on her finger then, thinking how right it felt.

"Let's keep it under wraps for just a little while," Jack suggested. "I want us to just enjoy us. No intrusions. No wild questions or speculations. We have time. We'll figure it out. But for now, let's not tell anyone. Okay?"

"Okay," Lisa said with a nod. "I'm happy with just enjoying us for as long as we can."

"Okay, then. We wait to tell them until we both agree it's the right time," Jack said, relieved she agreed.

Lisa sipped her champagne while Jack got up to add another log to the fire. When he turned back, there was a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. A soft chuckle rumbled from his throat.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Oh, I was just thinking how I think I've just won our little bet," Jack said, his eyes dancing mischievously.

Lisa pursed her lips as she herself tried to suppress a giggle. "What, that we didn't kill each other after spending too much time together?"

"Exactly," Jack said. "You were wrong about how our time apart is what makes us work, Lis."

"Go on," Lisa said, wanting him to elaborate on this point.

"It's not our time apart that makes us work. It's our commitment to how we feel about each other, and it's about respecting the fact we have our differences."

"Can I add something?" asked Lisa.

"Sure," Jack said with a nod of encouragement.

"It's also about admitting when we're wrong, and it's about forgiving each other," Lisa said honestly.

"I'll drink to that," Jack stated, as he raised his glass again to finish the remainder of his champagne.

He watched as the reflection of the flames danced in Lisa's blue eyes, and the flame of ardour blazed anew in his heart. He thought of all the obstacles that had previously stood in their way—mostly self-made—and how now, finally, they had tied the knot after so many years of struggle.

Lisa stared at her new husband's careworn face, and read there a passion and tenderness that took her breath away. She recalled their first real planned date, how she learned so much about him then, and how much more she realised she wanted to learn.

Despite all your obvious flaws, I wouldn't mind if you called me sometime, she remembered telling him while they were parked in the yard at Heartland, hoping he understood her intent. With a small smile, she also recollected how they had attempted a quick kiss, only to be interrupted by the slamming of the screen door and the curious looks of Ty, Amy, and Mallory on the porch.

This time, there would be no such interruptions. This time, nothing would stand in their way. No voyeuristic onlookers, no arguments over vacation homes or misplaced fears over age gaps. And where once a bitter argument over a hospital bed drove them apart, tonight, a bed would help unite them in a most perfect way.

Jack did not even need to mention to Lisa about Dr. Virani's assessment of his virility, for after all, he was not a man of words; he was a man of action and deed. He got to his feet and reached out to take Lisa's hands in his. She stood to face him, anticipation racing through her.

"Come here," he said, guiding her to take her place beside him, shedding his suit jacket and setting his hat aside.

"I love you, Cowboy," Lisa managed to say between his eager kisses. "I'm all yours tonight, and for the rest of our lives."

"And I'm all yours," Jack added, drawing her closer to himself.

As they fell into each other's embrace, the years between them fell away; a consummation of the vows they had pledged earlier that evening.

"You're so beautiful," Jack murmured later as they lay side by side, gazing wonderingly into her eyes. "How come you're so beautiful?"

"Because you love me," Lisa answered. "Your love makes me beautiful."

"Hmm," Jack uttered softly, tracing a finger along her lips. "I could have sworn you've always been beautiful."

"And you're the only one I ever want to hear saying that to me," Lisa whispered.

"And I'm so glad that I get to be the one to say it," Jack whispered back. "You're beautiful, and I love you."

"I love you more," Lisa stated, snuggling closer to him and laying her head against his chest.

"Is that so?" an amused Jack asked.

"Mm-hmm," Lisa responded in the positive.

"Well, I think you're going to have to prove it," Jack challenged.

Lisa raised her head to look at his face, then pressed her lips to his. "Like this?" she asked after pulling back.

A reflective expression came over Jack. "It's a start," he said in a teasing manner.

"Well, then I'll just have to keep going until you're convinced," Lisa responded, covering his mouth with hers again, this time enfolding him in her arms, and he eagerly responded to her embrace.

"If it takes the rest of tonight or the rest of our lives together, Jack Bartlett," Lisa said, "I'm never going to stop proving how much I love you."

And I'm going to let myself be loved by you, Lisa, and I'll do everything I can to love you right back, Jack thought, amazed by how foolish he had been for ever thinking her care for him was out of pity. No, her love for him was pure, and fulfilled longings he had not known were lying dormant for so many years of being a widower.

Everything I've ever wanted is happening right now, Lisa contemplated with joy. Here, being with Jack, becoming his wife, I've waited so long for this. And it's wonderful.

The year had started on a bitter note for Jack and Lisa, and it seemed no resolution was in sight for them. Now, their lives were back in sync, and they were about to embark on a new stanza together in perfect harmony, a new song that would last for a lifetime.

END

#heartland #Heartland fanfiction #wide river to cross #Chapter 27 #Love is a Fire #Jack Bartlett #Lisa Stillman #JISA #JISA fanfiction #my fanfiction #final chapter #Tim Fleming #Dan Hartfield #Brenda Dufresne

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the-real-tc · 7 years

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Fic Update! Wide River to Cross: Chapter 18

Author's Note: Yes, I'm back! It's a return to Jack's POV. He's feeling at loose ends, because you know Jack prefers to be home than anywhere else, and Phoenix isn't home. Maybe he needs a kick in the pants from someone, but is there anyone alive or dead who's able to convince him his stubbornness has to stop and that he needs to reconcile with Lisa?

Chapter 18: Always Something There to Remind Me

Two weeks. Jack hated this feeling: knowing he wasn’t expected back in Hudson for a fortnight, but having absolutely no idea how to fill his remaining time in Phoenix. He’d already tried and failed at camping and fishing. The week-long trek on horseback had been well and good, but now he was back in a dreary motel, bored out of his skull.

If Lisa was here with me…

As a couple, no doubt they would have planned outings and things to do together. It was something Lisa was particularly good at, Jack had to grudgingly acknowledge, even if he wasn’t always keen on overly touristy activities, as had happened in France. The Eiffel Tower was simply an ugly conglomeration of iron girders in Jack’s estimation, but Lisa had insisted on getting a portrait of them in front of the famous landmark. She’d also dragged him to Moulin Rouge, where she’d booked VIP seating for the Féerie show and dinner. It was a grand spectacle comprised of a multitude of dancers in gaudy costumes; loud music and flashing lights; one endless dance number after the other.

“How long is this thing?” he’d wanted to ask at one point, when another troupe pranced on the stage for yet another performance, this one full of flamboyant acrobats. But Jack had held his tongue, for when he looked at Lisa, she was absorbed in the act, clearly enthralled. If she was having a good time, it was no use dumping his misery into her lap, especially when she had paid for the “fun” experience.

Jack very much doubted he’d find a French cabaret in Phoenix, and he was quite all right with that.

Still, even funny French cuisine and Cancan dancers were better than this: an empty room and an empty heart. Empty stomach, too, Jack realised, when he heard the tell-tale rumble from his gut, reminding him he’d skipped breakfast that morning.

Maybe I’ll head out to find someplace that cooks up a nice brunch, Jack decided. Back home, he imagined Lou might have made pancakes and bacon for the family that day. He reflected that since coming back home from New York, his eldest granddaughter’s skills in the kitchen had improved by great strides over the years. Thinking about Lou now, Jack was troubled for the hundredth time that something could be amiss at Heartland. Not that Lou had said anything of the sort, but the impression still remained she was hiding something from him every time they’d spoken on the phone. Jack shrugged as he turned the knob on his motel room door, mentally pushing aside his concerns. After leaving the parking lot, he cruised around Phoenix, not really knowing what he was looking for or what he would find appealing. Along the way, a billboard promoting a 24-hour, all-you-can-eat restaurant caught his attention. Though he wasn’t a glutton, the advertised price for the meal seemed reasonable, so he steered the vehicle to the next exit in the direction of the location.

All kinds of tempting aromas greeted Jack when he entered the buffet-style restaurant. Noisy chatter from the customers competed with mellow soft jazz being played over the speaker system. Though the floor area was crowded with patrons, the staff quickly and easily accommodated single diner Jack in a corner table usually designated for two. Five minutes later, he returned from the buffet with a plate stacked with waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, and potato wedges.

“Well, howdy, ‘neighbour’! It’s ‘Jack’, isn’t it?”

Jack looked up with a start from sipping his newly poured cup of coffee.

A voice from very close by seemed to be addressing him. Sure enough, when Jack turned to look, the couple to his oblique left was smiling at him expectantly. For a moment, he couldn’t place them, but then it dawned on him: they were the snowbirds who’d sat next to him on the flight down from Calgary.

What were their names, again? Jack tried to recall. Henry and Annette something-or-other…

“Well, I’ll be,” Jack said jovially, putting down his coffee cup. “Henry and Annette… from the plane, right?”

“That’s right,” replied Henry with a happy nod and a grin. “Enjoying your time in Phoenix?”

“Ehhh, not bad,” said Jack, giving a mild shrug. “Just spent the past week riding around parts of Utah and the Grand Canyon.”

“Oh, on horseback?” Annette inquired, peering at Jack, taking in his usual ‘Western’ attire.

“Yep. With an outfit called Saddleback Tours.”

“The Grand Canyon is pretty spectacular,” Henry stated. “We made sure it was one of the first things we saw our first time down here.”

“I take it this is your first time down to Arizona, Jack?” asked Annette.

Jack nodded. Realising this was now going to be a full-blown conversation, he tried to strategically chew and swallow his food while Henry and Annette talked before he was expected to reply.

“Nice to get away from those Alberta winters,” Henry continued. “You from Calgary, too?”

This time, Jack shook his head in the negative. He took a quick sip of coffee. “Hudson,” he grunted.

“Hudson, eh? I think I’ve been out there once or twice,” Henry said. “Lotsa rich horse people from the looks of some of those ranches.” He stuck his thumb under his nose and pretended to lift it up in a snooty manner.

“I can guarantee you that I’m definitely not one of ‘em,” Jack rejoined with a dry laugh. But Lisa would certainly be one of those “rich horse people” Henry’s talking about; just not stuck-up. Good thing she isn’t here to hear this right now...

“Hudson…” Annette was now saying with a thoughtful expression on her face. “What did you say your last name was, Jack? I know you told us on the plane… It’s ‘Bartlett’, isn’t it? Any relation to Lyndy Bartlett, the Country singer? I think she’s from Hudson, too.”

It had been so long since a stranger had brought up Lyndy and her singing career that Jack was momentarily caught off-guard, not at all sure how to respond.

“Lyndy was my late wife,” he finally said without a trace of emotion, hoping to avoid the inevitable platitudes of condolence.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Annette nevertheless uttered, clearly shocked. “I had no idea. When did she pass?”

“Several years now,” Jack answered evasively.

Annette made a ‘tut’ sound and looked at her husband, shaking her head in pity. “I was such a fan of her music. Never could understand how she never took the world by storm with that voice and those looks. And I always wondered why she never came out with anything new; I suppose I know why now.”

Not knowing how to respond, Jack merely shrugged. “Changing music tastes,” he posited as he took another sip of coffee. “Rap music and all that stuff the kids listen to these days. Country just wasn’t going to be ‘mainstream’ anymore.”

“You’re probably right… So, I suppose all those love songs she sang were about you, eh, Jack?” Annette asked in a teasing manner.

Jack nearly choked on his drink. “Me?” he sputtered.

“Yes, you!” she laughed. “You were her husband, weren’t ya? Don’t tell me she was singing about some other fella.”

Love songs were always so subjective, Jack thought. It wasn’t that he’d never thought Lyndy’s love songs could be about him; but the songs were ultimately for other people to enjoy; to form their own special connection to the lyrics with their own lives—not relate to his and Lyndy’s private relationship.

“There was that one about the ‘night time’ and the ‘light time’…” Annette rushed on, heedless of Jack’s lack of enthusiasm about the topic. She started humming a little of the melody: “Hmm-hmm-hmmm… ‘I’m only dreaming… of precious you’… Such a sweet song. I loved it.”

I loved it, too, Jack thought, swept up in a reminiscence of that time from so many years ago, when Lyndy was composing the song. She always sought his opinion when writing new material. He recollected his reactions were inevitably positive; she inevitably took his words with a grain of salt. So many evenings, Lyndy would sit in the living room, strumming her guitar, scribbling down lyrics as they came to her. Jack remembered how he used to come in from a long day of herding the cattle to hear Lyndy’s voice echoing through the house.

“That was one of her more popular ones,” Jack said. “She did think it was a little corny, but she believed people liked ‘corny’, anyway.” He cut into a waffle and stuffed a chunk into his mouth in the hopes that would be the end of more discussion about Lyndy and her music.

Henry chimed in at that point by asking where Jack was staying.

Grateful for the change in topic, Jack quickly gulped his food to reply. “At a motel, not far from the airport.”

“A motel?” a nonplussed Henry repeated. “You mean you don’t have a place down here yet?”

“Nope. I was looking into a place out in Flagstaff, but it sold a few months ago.”

“Flagstaff, eh? That’s nice,” Henry commented. “You should come out and see our place sometime. It’s right here in Phoenix.”

“Yes, Jack,” Annette said, nodding in agreement. “We snowbirds ought to stick together, don’t you think?”

Jack was about to say he wasn’t exactly a ‘snowbird’; that his jaunt into Arizona was due more to reasons of health than of wanting to escape winter. Instead, he found himself neither committing to, nor rejecting the offer. “That’s mighty kind of you,” he said politely. “If I get the chance, I’ll certainly try to drop by.”

“Great! Here’s the address and phone number so you can call,” said Henry with a broad smile, jotting it down on a napkin.

“Thanks,” Jack said, taking it from Henry’s outstretched hand.

“Well, I’m about ready to hit the dessert buffet,” Henry stated.

“I’ll come with you,” said Annette. “Excuse us, Jack.”

“Of course,” he said obligingly. As the couple vacated their table, Jack wondered if he could manage to wolf down the rest of his meal before they returned. It wasn’t that they weren’t nice enough people; he simply couldn’t tolerate any more talk about Lyndy, his life, and his plans—something he sensed was bound to happen—if he stuck around.

Don’t be rude, his inner voice warned. You’ve met nothing but nice people the entire time you’ve been down here. From Kristin and her fiancé to those folks in Flagstaff; now Henry and Annette. It wouldn’t kill you to try to stick around, would it? Finish your meal and have some conversation with them.

So, stick around he did, putting as much effort as he could muster into talking with Annette and Henry when they returned from picking out their desserts. As they talked, Jack learned Annette and Henry had both worked for the same oil company before taking severance packages during an economic downturn.

“It was a good decision. More time to volunteer and be with the grandkids,” Annette said.

“We have seven,” Henry added proudly. “How ‘bout you, Jack?”

“Two granddaughters and one great-granddaughter,” he answered easily, as he jabbed his fork into the last potato wedge.

“That’s nice,” Annette said with a nod.

There was a minor pause in the conversation as everyone was either chewing or swallowing. For a moment, Jack thought Annette was on the verge of asking something, but she averted her gaze and seemed to reconsider. It was the opportunity Jack was looking for. He closed his knife and fork over his plate, wanting to make a hasty retreat in case the couple decided to whip out pictures of their grandchildren right then to show him.

“Well, it’s been real nice chattin’ with you folks,” he said, standing up to leave. “You enjoy the rest of the afternoon.”

“Hey, you too, Jack,” Henry said between a mouthful of double-chocolate cheesecake.

“’Bye, Jack,” Annette said. “It was real nice running into you again.”

Jack tipped his hat and pushed in his chair, now more anxious than ever to make his escape.

“Say something to him,” Annette said under her breath to Henry, though it was still loud enough for Jack to hear as he hustled away.

“What do you expect me to say?” Henry asked helplessly, matching his wife’s volume.

If Jack had still been in earshot, he would have heard Annette’s sighed reply: “I don’t know. That poor man… He just seems so terribly lonely…”

“Grandpa, hi!” Lou said over the long-distance connection.

“How’s it going, Lou?” Jack asked, as he sat on the edge of his motel room bed. He’d just returned from brunch, and not having thought of anything else to do, felt compelled to touch base with the family.

“Oh, fine, fine!” Lou replied cheerily. But to Jack’s ears, it was an exaggerated cheeriness.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure; nothing to worry about. We’re all good. Everything is good. How are you?”

Jack scowled. Lou had delivered that last line hurriedly with the same forced happiness in her tone as he’d heard on previous calls.

You’re a terrible liar, Lou, Jack thought, but didn’t know how else to draw out from her a different answer; one that was more truthful.

“Oh, I’m doing just fine here, too,” Jack stated. “Saw the Grand Canyon on that horseback riding trip I took… met some interesting people…”

“That’s great, Grandpa!” Lou said.

“In fact, a couple of those people I met might be getting in touch with you soon,” Jack added.

“Really? Why?” she inquired.

“I told them about the Dude Ranch,” he explained. “They think it would be a great place for their wedding and honeymoon, so I said they could look it up on the Internet. Nice couple; you’d like ‘em.”

“Sounds good. Bet you didn’t expect to drum up business for me down there, did you?”

“It was the last thing on my mind,” Jack admitted with a small chuckle. For a moment, he thought of asking if Lou had heard from Lisa. They were, after all, business partners where the Dude Ranch was concerned. The question died on his tongue when Lou broke in to say she was sorry she had to go, as Katie was whining for attention.

“Love you, Grandpa,” Lou uttered. “’Bye!”

“’Bye,” Jack echoed, and heard the click in his ear. He replaced the phone on the cradle with a despondent sigh. A glance over at the clock showed it was nearly three p.m. in the afternoon. The meal he’d eaten was filling, and now he was starting to experience an attack of drowsiness.

I think I’ll lie down for a quick nap, Jack decided. After removing his boots and hat, he lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and was soon asleep.

The next time Jack opened his eyes, he found himself overlooking the Grand Canyon. He struggled to comprehend why he was there again since his trip with Saddleback Tours was finished. A sudden, irrational fear gripped him that he was going to go tumbling over the edge of the precipice. The Colorado River snaked its way through the deep gorges far, far below, and he took a giant step backwards, away from the cliff edge, sighing in relief as he did so.

“What is it you’re afraid of, Jackson?”

A familiar, feminine voice from behind caused him to spin around. A slim, brunette woman stood nearby, an enigmatic smile gracing her face.

“Lyndy,” he said softly. “I-I’m not afraid...”

“Yeah, you are,” Lyndy countered with smirk and a shake of her head. “You’ve never been good at talking about what you’re feeling or what you need.”

Even though it was true, it wasn’t a trait Jack liked being reminded of.

“Come on, Jack. What is it you’re so afraid of?” she asked again when he didn’t answer. There was a note of challenge in her question.

Feeling pressured, Jack wanted to dodge the question entirely, but Lyndy held his gaze, not letting him off the hook.

“Fine,” he heatedly spat. “You want to know what I’m afraid of? I’m afraid of being a burden on others. I don’t want to be weak and helpless. No one deserves to have that dumped on them. No one. There, I said it.” He hoped that would be the end of the discussion, but Lyndy wasn’t through.

“In the end, was I a burden on you?” she asked, looking at him now with sad, wide eyes, voice almost breaking.

“What?! Of course you weren’t, Lyndy. Never,” Jack answered in anguish, wanting to rush to reassure her of his words.

“And why not?” she pointedly asked.

“Because… you were ill and you needed me. Because I loved you… so much…”

“Then why are you denying yourself the possibility of that same kind of love now? Why are you afraid of letting someone love you? Think about it, Jackson. You know what I’m talking about…”

Jack awoke with a start, eyes snapping open; momentarily disoriented. He turned to look at the bedside clock. It was several minutes past 10:00 p.m. The “afternoon nap” had turned into an unexpectedly deep slumber. He sucked in a ragged breath while passing a calloused hand over his face, rubbing vigorously as if to wipe away the memory of the vivid dream of his deceased wife.

Without even thinking about it, Jack reached for the TV remote. Maybe I’ll watch some news or something. Help clear my mind. I could use the distraction. He lazily switched on the television, finding it was already set to some classic movie channel. Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly instantly appeared on the screen in a broadcast of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window.

Grace Kelly sure was pretty, Jack thought admiringly, recognizing the blonde American actress from one of his personal favourite Westerns: High Noon. He couldn’t recall ever seeing this Hitchcock thriller, so he tried his best to pay attention since he’d already missed the beginning. To help matters, he searched for the “subtitles” button on the remote to activate the feature, glad he knew such a feature existed.

Kelly’s character was reclining in the Stewart character’s apartment. The pair seemed to be having an intense discussion about something. Jack got that Stewart was playing a man named “Jeff”, who was seated in a wheelchair, nursing a broken leg. Jack was then struck by the coincidence that Kelly’s character was named “Lisa”.

“There can’t be that much difference between people and the way they live! We all eat, talk, drink, laugh, sleep, wear clothes—” Lisa was saying to Jeff in a frustrated manner.

“Well now, look–” Jeff started to interrupt.

LISA: “If you’re saying all this just because you don’t want to tell me the truth, because you’re hiding something from me, then maybe I can understand—”

JEFF: “There’s nothing I’m hiding. It’s just that—”

LISA: “It doesn’t make sense to me. What’s so different about it here from over there, or any place you go, that one person couldn’t live in both places just as easily?”

JEFF: “Some people can. Now if you’ll let me explain—”

Jack bit back a groan. How was it he could manage to stumble upon a movie with two characters fighting about the same things he and Lisa Stillman had fought about? He knew he’d messed things up when he decided to bury his true feelings about France, but seeing this fictional scenario was almost like having it rubbed in his face again.

LISA: “You can’t fit in here; I can’t fit in there. According to you, people should be born, live and die on the same—”

JEFF: “Shut up!”

In disgust, Jack jabbed his thumb into the power button on the remote to shut off the TV. It was truly starting to feel like everything in the world was conspiring against him to remind him of his broken relationship with Lisa.

He pulled on his boots and shoved his cowboy hat onto his head, intent on going for a drive to calm his nerves. His head began to swim as soon as he stood, and he had to sit down again in a hurry before he lost his balance. It dawned on him he hadn’t eaten anything since brunch. Probably low blood-sugar, Jack mused; eyes squeezed shut. He willed the dizzy feeling to subside, and it passed after a few uncomfortable seconds. It was then he remembered there was a truck stop/diner not far from the motel which he’d driven by on several occasions. It didn’t look like high-class dining by anyone’s stretch of the imagination, but to Jack, it offered a place for something to eat at this hour. As a bonus, it was also a place he was unlikely to run into anyone or anything that would remind him of the things he was so determined to forget.

Chapter 19: Opposites Attract

#Heartland #heartland fanfiction #Jack Bartlett #Lisa Stillman #Wide River to Cross #Chapter 18 #Always Something There to Remind Me #my fics #JISA #jisa fanfiction

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the-real-tc · 3 years

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Fic Update! Wide River to Cross: Chapter 26—We’ll Get to the Other Side

Author's Note: Okay, kiddies. We're here. We've seen the episodes, so we know how it all goes. I'm just filling in some blanks, as I've been doing this whole time. One thing in particular to note: When Lisa pulls up to Heartland like we see at the end of Ep. 714, I have made the creative decision to set that event the morning following their "rescue". It does not make sense to me she visits Jack the same afternoon. (There simply was not enough daylight hours left for it to have been the same day.)

Also, I have chosen not to cover what happens directly after Lisa's arrival, as this was done expertly well in a story called Better Than Before by another author here that goes by 'Wildflowers606'. I really could not have done a better job of that, so go read that story if you're looking for what could have happened.

I think there's one more chapter left to finish things off in my story, so stay tuned for at least another, because of course I have to cover a certain elopement...

Chapter 26: We’ll Get to the Other Side

Lisa tried not to let the anxiety of being separated from Jack eat away at her.

I should have insisted on going with him, she fretted. I will never be able to forgive myself if something happens to him out there. Cinders may be a valuable horse, but he’s certainly not worth the price of Jack’s life.

The horse had calmed down in the time Lisa had been down in the pit with him. She continued to maintain contact with him, rubbing his head and his mane every so often; talking softly, letting him know he had not been abandoned. She had also got over the initial stress of waking to find Cinders had escaped sometime during the storm. All kinds of dark scenarios about the horse’s fate had played in her mind then, so she was thankful the animal seemed to be unharmed by this little misadventure.

“Can we even get him out of here?” she remembered asking Jack when they found Cinders down in the gully not far from a creek near their campsite.

Jack’s quick assessment of the situation produced an answer she did not want to hear: the sides of the gully were too steep to navigate, and downed trees would need to be cut to provide a suitable passage out.

I guess I’m not as “prepared” as I claimed to be, Lisa mulled, recalling how Jack asked if she happened to have a chainsaw back in the trailer, which of course she did not. Memo to myself: add “chainsaw” to list of tools to always have in the trailer.

Without access to the clock on her iPhone, it was difficult to judge the passage of time, but Lisa guessed Jack had been gone for close to two hours already. Her stomach growled, reminding her the last time she had eaten was the paltry portion of granola the evening before. To keep herself somewhat occupied, she popped a piece of gum into her mouth. That, at least, got her salivary glands going, helping to ease the edge of thirst coming on.

Better for Jack to have that bottle of water than me, she rightly decided. How much longer should I wait? At what point should I leave Cinders and go after Jack? Oh, why did I let him go alone?

“You won’t be gone long,” she remembered emphasizing when he promised he would be right back. She had purposely held onto Jack’s outstretched fingers for a few seconds when she handed him the water bottle; now she prayed that would not be the last time they ever touched.

Please come back, Jack, I’d be lost without you; I’ve been lost without you this entire time we’ve been apart.

***

The tightness in Jack’s chest was nearly unbearable. Hiking up the mountain to find a cell signal is the kind of exertion you really didn’t need, you dummy, he berated himself. You could croak up here and they wouldn’t find your body for days. Lisa would never forgive you, one part of his mind chastised. She’d blame herself for the rest of her life. You don’t want that, do you? Without ever telling her the reason you wanted to take this trip in the first place?

I’m sorry we ever parted in the first place. I love you, Lisa. I love you, and I want you in my life for the rest of my life... if you’ll have me...

At least the climb had not been in vain, and Jack had the assurance Ty and Amy were on the way to their location. They would be bringing his chainsaw and fuel for the truck. And Ty will be bringing my heart pills. I just have to make it back down there, Jack thought. The angina attack was not letting up. A sudden bout of vertigo nearly caused him to stumble and lose his footing.

Okay, take it easy, he told himself, squeezing his eyes shut. Don’t panic. You haven’t eaten breakfast... He paused in his descent and sagged against an old tree, heedless for the time being of the protruding branches poking at his shoulder. Jack threw open his coat, hoping his breathing would not feel as restricted. This action, however, did little to relieve the pressure in his chest and neck. Deep breaths. Slow and steady, now, he coached himself. He breathed in, counted from one to five, exhaled, and repeated the cycle five more times.

Gradually, the dizzy spell passed. Jack consciously returned his breathing to a normal rate. He took a few sips of water, giving relief to his parched throat and bone-dry mouth. The pain in his chest was still there, but not as pronounced. He wiped away the sweat under the brim of his hat. It was time to resume the walk back to the gully. Lisa’s going to be worried if I stay up here too long. I have to get back to Lisa. He reminded himself not to rush; not to overwork his heart; to keep breathing deeply and steadily. I have to get back to Lisa.

***

Ty glanced over to where Amy sat next to him in the truck. She had been quiet the entire ride so far, but he knew her silence was not of the same quality as last night during his birthday dinner. Last night, she had been mute due to worry. This morning, it was due to anticipation.

Amy loves her Grandpa Jack so much, he thought. If anything had happened to him, I don’t know what she would do. I don’t know what we would do. It was already so rough on the family when he had that heart attack last year. Thank God he’s okay now. But with that thought, Ty remembered the bottle of pills he now carried, burning a hole in his coat pocket. Jack had sworn him to secrecy on that one, leading the young man to worry maybe Jack was not as “okay” as he claimed to be to Amy during their brief conversation.

Based on Jack’s hurried instructions, Ty estimated they had perhaps another half-hour of travel before they found the correct Range Road, along with Lisa’s stranded truck and trailer. I hope Jack will still be okay when we find them...

Amy stared steadily at the road. The beauty of the rolling hills to her right-hand side did not entirely escape her notice, but her thoughts were still mainly focused on her present “rescue” mission.

I’m so glad they’re okay, Amy mused. Simply seeing Lisa’s number on her call display had been enough to disperse the anxiety that had been holding her hostage all night long. The sound of Jack’s voice on the other end lifted her spirits completely and renewed her energy—energy that had been sapped due to lack of sleep in the preceding hours.

In time, Ty found Range Road 135, noting how absolutely far off the beaten track it was, and how far away it was from Jack and Lisa’s intended destination. How in the world did they get so lost? he wondered as he continued along the trail, keeping his eyes peeled. Soon enough, both Ty and Amy spied Lisa’s empty truck and trailer.

“There it is,” Amy exclaimed, leaning forward excitedly in her seat.

“I see it,” Ty commented, keeping his own excitement under wraps. And not another soul around, he contemplated, thinking how they had not encountered any traffic in either direction for the past hour-and-a-half. He slowed Jack’s truck and brought it to a stop a short distance behind the trailer.

“I hope they’re still okay,” said Amy as she hurriedly unbuckled her seatbelt.

“Me, too. Let’s go,” Ty said, exiting the truck.

In minutes, they were hiking down into the woods in search of the trail Jack had mentioned, carrying a shovel and the necessary chainsaw and jerrycan. Ty surreptitiously made sure he still had Jack’s medication with him. You’d better be okay, Jack, he thought. This family needs you more than you know.

***

Lisa’s heart leapt upon hearing Jack’s voice calling her name. She spun around, seeing his approaching figure. He appeared to be absolutely worn out, but to her eyes, he could not have looked more wonderful. She climbed up the side of the gully hurriedly to meet him, throwing her arms around his frame.

“Ohh, you’re back,” she breathed, thoroughly relieved he had returned safely. You’re back. I don’t want you to ever leave me like that again, she thought. They held on to each other for a few sweet moments before separating with the happy news Jack had indeed managed to get a cell signal. Help was on the way.

“Good!” Lisa exclaimed. She held onto him again, this time in celebration of Jack’s success. They would be on their way home in a matter of hours, and they could finally put this whole miserable failure of a trip behind them.

Jack did his best to hide his utter exhaustion from Lisa as they climbed back down into the gully together. Last thing she needs right now is to worry about me, he decided. She’s got enough to worry with this horse being stuck down here for so long without food and water. I sure hope he got in a good drink when he crossed the river last night. Stupid horse. Could have gotten himself killed running off like that by himself...

***

It took Ty and Amy about two minutes to find the trail Jack had mentioned, and about thirty minutes later, they came upon the shelter Jack erected next to the rain-doused firepit.

“They can’t be too far now,” Ty commented. “Let’s find that creek.”

“Right,” Amy said, pausing briefly to take in how Jack and Lisa had stretched Cinders’ stall sheet to cover themselves during the night, along with the spruce boughs for bedding. Earlier, she had wondered how they managed to spend the night, especially through the storm. Definitely not a motel room, Amy thought mirthlessly, recalling Tim’s comment from the evening before.

The young couple picked up the pace, knowing they were getting close now to their stranded loved ones. An intermittent drizzle started falling, evidence the weather front that brought last night’s rains had not completely moved on.

***

Lisa looked over to where Jack stood in the gully. Ever since he had come back, relaying the fact Amy and Ty were coming, he had spoken nothing further. The grey pallor Lisa thought she had observed on Jack’s face when he returned seemed to have cleared. Still, his silence was concerning. What if he’s on the verge of another heart attack? she thought. All that climbing up and down that mountain... Oh, why did I let him do that? I should have been the one to go. Knowing she was risking getting him upset just for asking, Lisa went ahead anyway, doing her best to sound nonchalant about it:

“You okay?”

“Yeah, fine,” he answered easily, seeming quite unperturbed; showing no sign whatsoever her question was probing too deeply or breaching any invisible boundaries.

Okay, Jack, Lisa thought decisively. That’s the opening I’ve been hoping for ever since I came back to Hudson. Time to talk for real, now. I need you to hear me; it’s now or never.

“You know what I thought a lot about when you had your heart attack...” she began slowly.

Jack listened with a heavy heart while Lisa unburdened herself. Every word she spoke—reminding him of their squabbles about vacation homes and trips to France—pinched his conscience.

She’s right, he thought miserably, bringing his tired body to rest against a downed tree branch. It really was all so silly and unimportant, just as she said.

Lisa then delivered the line that made him die a little inside: “... all I really wanted to do was just... I just wanted to spend time with you.”

Jack ducked his head guiltily. I wanted to spend time with you, too, Lis. I wanted that so bad.

“I was so happy when you came back last winter,” he blurted out before even realising he was saying it.

She stared at him with a mix of shock and disbelief. We can’t be remembering the same event, Lisa thought, nearly scoffing at this admission.

“You were?” she asked skeptically, then saw him avert his gaze. You sure didn’t seem happy to see me when I came back, mister. What’s going on in that head of yours? Why? Why were you being so unreasonable when all I wanted was to be there for you? Lisa wondered for the hundredth time. Maybe now I’ll get an answer.

The whole uncomfortable episode played back in their minds of that night, both thinking of the awkwardness of the hospital bed occupying a space in the living room at Heartland.

Jack felt a return of the dread he experienced when Lisa summoned him from his room to show him what she thought would be helpful in his recovery. The same sick feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. A sour taste erupted in his mouth as he thought again of how it might be for them in some hypothetical future where he was a total invalid, and she was reduced to playing nothing but a nursemaid.

Lisa recalled how dishevelled he appeared that January night with his hair falling over his pale face, dressed in his robe, the light gone out of his eyes. Where was that lively, exultant greeting she longed for? Where was the bright smile, the crushing embrace, and the smouldering kiss that signalled he missed her as much as she missed him?

Back in the present moment, when Lisa almost demanded Jack explain why he had resisted her help, he finally admitted his deepest insecurity about the nature of their relationship, and that he did not expect her to understand his reasoning.

“You’re a lot younger than me, Lis,” he muttered, after she declared he had no way of predicting the future; how anything was possible, including the fact she might be the one needing care instead of him ten years down the road.

He’s been worried about our difference in age this whole time? Lisa thought incredulously. How could he even think that would be a stumbling block for us? It’s exactly as you expected Jack, Lisa thought, I don’t understand your reasoning.

Lisa adamantly declared it was damned stupid of him to think he was doing her some incredible favour by “sparing” her a future of taking care of him.

“Don’t you get—don’t you get I was all in?” she said passionately. “I was all in because I loved you, not because I felt sorry for you. But that’s all water under the bridge now, because if loving each other was enough, we’d still be together, wouldn’t we?”

Maybe we shouldn’t go to Arizona together!

Jack could not help but remember his angry, careless words from that night. I regret that so much, Lis. I need to tell you that. I need you to know...

“For what it’s worth, Arizona wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” Jack admitted.

“Yeah? Too hot?” Lisa guessed, despite her heavy heart at the bitter memories of how they parted; of how much she had been looking forward to spending time with him in that famed desert state.

“No,” Jack murmured. “Too lonely. I spent the whole time there wishing you were with me.”

He looked up at her, wondering even now if it was too late to bring her back into his lonely life; if she would forgive him. Lisa gazed back at his downcast face, watching his expression carefully to gauge his sincerity.

“I’m just too damned stubborn to pick up the phone, and too damned stubborn to say ‘I’m sorry’,” Jack said.

“Jack?!”

Lisa started at the sound of Ty’s shout. “Here!” she called in response before rushing up the side of the gully to meet with Ty and Amy.

When Jack was sure no one was looking, he quietly asked Ty for his heart medication. He slipped a pill under his tongue and waited for the blessed relief to take effect.

***

A calm quiet filled the cab of the truck as Jack and Lisa got back on the road again to Hudson.

The time spent together with the trapped horse had finally provided the opportunity for the former lovers to communicate certain truths. The air had mostly been cleared; all that was left now was to decide if whatever it was they had was still worth holding onto.

An idea had been brewing in Lisa’s mind ever since Jack issued his apology of sorts. I am going to need something to get that stubborn cowboy to come out and say everything I bet he still wants to say—before we were interrupted when Ty and Amy arrived... The way Amy helped her to guide Cinders across the river provided that way; Lisa bided her time until she was sure she would have the best chance of success. I hope this works, she thought, as she pretended to fiddle with her iPhone.

Jack’s hopes of convincing Lisa to stay in Hudson seemed to be slipping away when she suddenly begged him to stop the truck. She had at last picked up a cell signal, she told him, and needed to speak with her real estate agent immediately lest she lose the chance to accept the offer on Fairfield.

Not if I have anything to say about it, Jack thought, almost in a panic now, watching her step outside onto the road as she hoped to recapture the finnicky cell connection. I’m going to lay my cards on the table. The rest will be up to her. She said she ‘loved’ me back there in the gully. Did she mean that in the past tense, only? No, I have to believe she still does...

Lisa stood with her back to him. Almost hating herself for the pretense, she informed him she had a signal again; that the call was going through. She heard him grouse that this was crazy; that she should at least wait until they got back into town. But she would not be deterred. I’m forcing you to play your hand, Jack. Don’t let me down. From behind, she felt him reach for the iPhone. He grabbed it from her hand and ended the call.

“What are you doing?” she asked, feigning ignorance, though her heart surged in triumph.

“I don’t want you to sell,” he declared. “Just hear me out. Maybe it is enough.”

“What is?” she asked in confusion.

“Earlier you said loving each other ‘wasn’t enough’. But you’re wrong,” Jack said, the lines of his face drawn into deep sadness. “It is enough, Lis. I still love you, and I think you still love me. We just have to figure out how our lives fit together.”

Lisa held her breath, keeping her own thoughts from spilling out, waiting for him to finish all he wanted to say.

“Now, I don’t know how that’s going to work; only that I want it to, and I hope you do, too. So will you please... just... stay?” he beseeched.

Lisa searched his eyes—eyes which seemed to be holding back tears. The expression she beheld revealed a tormented heart on the verge of breaking at the prospect of another goodbye, this time one that could be permanent.

Without giving an answer, Lisa held out her hand for her phone. “Will you let me think about it?” she asked instead. Once again, she hated stringing him along like this, but she wanted to be certain he meant what he said.

Jack swallowed and sucked in a ragged breath. After a few moments, he finally responded, almost in submission. “Okay.” He placed the phone in her hand.

“I promise I will have an answer for you tomorrow,” she added, noting the bleak disappointment on his face. If she had instead read relief, it would have been over for them.

“Okay, good,” Jack said with a little more enthusiasm. “You can be sure I will be waiting.” Don’t let me down, Lis, please.

“Um, can we get back on the road, now? I’m starving.”

“Oh, sure! Let’s get going,” Jack said, scrambling back to the driver’s seat.

They stole occasional glances at each other the rest of the way, not quite sure what to say to fill the silence, afraid anything else would break this tenuous new connection.

He said it! He still loves me, Lisa silently exulted. He wants me to stay. Jack wants me to stay! She did not know if it was the lack of food that was causing the light-headed sensation or if she was riding a heady high of emotion. Either way, she was already quite certain what she was going to tell the real estate agent when she got back to Fairfield.

She didn’t flat out say “no” when I asked her to stay, Jack thought, feeling more upbeat than he had in months. That’s got to be a good sign, right?

***

Jack exited the driver’s seat and relinquished it to Lisa when they finally arrived at Heartland.

“So... I’ll be hearing from you later?” Jack asked tentatively as he peered through the lowered window.

“Scout’s honour,” Lisa said with a smile, pulling the three-finger Scout salute.

“Okay, then,” Jack said, not knowing if he should chance a goodbye hug and a peck on the cheek.

“We’ll talk soon,” Lisa said as she started the engine.

“’Bye,” Jack said with a small wave. He backed away from the truck and watched Lisa reverse and drive off. Only this time, he had a strong sense this was not a goodbye that would be of the permanent sort.

***

A hungry and tired Lisa unloaded Cinders from the trailer in front of a surprised Fairfield stable hand named Laura.

“Wow, we expected you back yesterday afternoon, Ms. Stillman. I thought you were taking this horse to Montana. Is everything all right?” she asked in confusion.

“Yes, everything’s all right, Laura,” Lisa responded. Better than they’ve been in a very long time, in fact. “And yes, I was taking Cinders to Montana. Not anymore. It’s a long story.”

“Okay,” Laura said slowly, intuiting her boss was not going to say anything more on the matter.

“Please see that he gets a good meal and a good watering,” Lisa instructed. “He’s been through a lot over the past twenty-four hours.”

“Will do,” the young woman said eagerly.

“Thanks, Laura. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a few calls to make.” But not before I have a shower and something to eat!

“Let’s go, Cinders,” Laura said, taking the halter to lead the horse to the stables.

***

Jack knew Tim would not stop hounding him about the failed trip to Montana and his status with a certain woman. The trick now was how to forestall his ex-son-in-law until he had heard a definitive answer from Lisa about his request for her to stay in Hudson.

It was already a sure bet Tim would be inviting himself for dinner, Jack figured, and what was the deal with Jade Virani’s presence at Heartland? Well, there was one thing—or rather things—no longer present at Heartland, and that would be Tim’s flock of sheep. Jack noticed their absence almost right away, which meant Tim had finally got rid of them.

One less headache to worry about, Jack thought happily. Things just keep looking up!

Incredibly, when dinner time rolled around, Tim did not immediately pester Jack about what happened on the road trip. Instead, he regaled everyone with how much of a profit he made selling his sheep, and how Georgie mistakenly believed he had sold Clover, her 4-H sheep, along with the rest of the flock. Jack thought he noticed Jade and Georgie exchange a couple guilty looks during that part of the story. Since no one had yet explained why Dr. Virani’s daughter was with them, he asked as politely as he could.

“So,” he began, casting a look in the teen’s direction, “what’s the deal with you, young lady?”

“Me?” Jade asked innocently. “What d’you mean?”

“I mean: what brings you to Heartland?”

Jack did not miss Tim’s look of consternation. “She’s here because I promised Tricia I would look after her for a couple days while her mother has an operation,” Tim interjected.

“Oh, did you, now?” Jack muttered. “Rare act of charity?”

“You could say that,” Tim answered. “She was in a bind. I couldn’t say ‘no’, Jack.”

Jack nodded agreeably, though he privately wondered, as always, what angle Tim was working, since he seldom did something out of complete altruism.

“Thank you for letting me stay here, Mr. Bartlett,” Jade piped up. “I know I didn’t exactly make a good first impression and all, but I like it here a lot.”

“Is that so?” asked Jack, remembering when the teen stupidly decided to go for a joy-ride in his truck.

“Totally,” Jade replied, pasting a smile on her face.

“Well, isn’t that nice,” Jack commented. “How long do you think you’ll be here?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Jade said with a shrug. “But my grandmother should be out of the hospital by now. I guess my mom will be flying back home soon.”

“That’s good,” Jack said before returning to his meal.

“Now, Jack,” Tim said, “be nice. After all, Tricia is your doctor now. You want her to still make house calls, right?”

“I am being ‘nice’,” Jack retorted, narrowing his eyes at Tim.

“No, you’re being grumpy. What, things not go as you planned on that road trip with Lisa?” Tim asked, thinking he had found a weak spot to exploit.

Jack put down his knife and fork. There it was: the question he knew was coming. “That is none of your business, Tim, despite you poking your nose in it all the time.”

“Shame.” Tim shook his head pityingly. “You had all that time together with Lisa—alone—and you blew it. Again.”

Irritated now, Jack said: “I didn’t ‘blow’ anything. As a matter of fact, I told Lisa exactly how I felt about her and that I wanted her to stay.”

This seemed to surprise Tim. “You did?”

“I did,” Jack confirmed.

“And what did she say?”

“She said she needed to think about it.”

Tim’s face fell in disappointment. By now, Georgie and Jade were squirming uncomfortably at the direction of this conversation.

“Who’s ‘Lisa’?” Jade whispered to Georgie.

“Jack’s old girlfriend,” Georgie whispered back.

“Jack had a girlfriend?” Jade asked a little louder than intended.

“’Had’ is right,” Tim said, having heard Jade’s question. “Until he let her get away.”

“All right, enough,” Jack groused in annoyance. “I did not let her ‘get away’!”

“That’s not the way I see it,” Tim muttered under his breath.

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that, and I’m going to tell you again that’s enough,” Jack said, glaring at Tim.

By now, Georgie and Jade were looking desperate for a change in topic. “Hey, do we have anything for dessert? I’m still hungry,” Jade said, hoping it was enough of an interruption to derail the conversation.

“Yeah, dessert would be great!” Georgie agreed brightly.

Tim rolled his eyes; Jack was secretly grateful for Jade’s less-than-polite request.

***

As much as Lisa wanted to simply head to bed after having showered and eaten a quick meal, it was still early enough to catch her real estate agent. The conversation was a simple one: Lisa advised the woman she would be turning down the offer from the potential buyer; furthermore, Fairfield was to be taken off the market until further notice.

“Is everything all right?” the realtor asked, surprise mixed with a touch of dismay evident in her tone.

“Yes, everything is fine,” Lisa said, a smile playing on her lips. “I’ve just decided I need to stay in Hudson for much longer than I originally anticipated...”

With that issue taken care of, Lisa next placed a call to her sister in Montreal. “I hope I’m not calling at a bad time, Rachel,” she began.

“Not at all,” Rachel responded.

“I wanted you to know I’ve decided against selling the family place.”

“What? Really!” Rachel nearly squealed. “What happened? Did you and Jack make up?”

“Umm... not quite,” Lisa said, enjoying holding her younger sibling in this tiny piece of suspense.

“What’s going on, then?”

“We got stranded on a road trip to Montana yesterday,” Lisa said. “Things were said. Some very good things. In fact, he said the very things I always hoped he would say. He doesn’t know about Fairfield yet, but I am going to tell him tomorrow morning after we’ve both had a chance to get some rest.”

“So... you’re not back together again... ‘yet’. Is that what I’m hearing?”

“Exactly,” Lisa said.

“Well, that’s real good news, sis,” Rachel said. “I’m so happy for you. You sound happy, too; happier than I’ve heard you sound in forever.”

“That’s because I am,” Lisa affirmed, the smile lingering on her lips. “I am.”

“After all you’ve been through, I wish you two the best,” said Rachel.

“Thanks, sis,” Lisa said. “That’s pretty much all I called to tell you, so have a good night and we’ll talk again soon, okay?”

“You bet, sis,” Rachel responded. “Good night.”

***

“Grandpa, it’s Lisa,” Amy said, when she saw the woman’s number on the call display on the kitchen extension. Jack dropped the morning paper as if it were burning his fingers. As quickly as his arthritic legs could carry him, he jumped from his seat and bounded over to the phone.

“Hello, Lis!” he greeted her brightly.

“Good morning, Cowboy,” Lisa said gaily. “Is it okay if I stop by in about a half-hour?”

“Of course it’s okay,” Jack replied. “I’ve been expecting you, after all...”

“Right,” Lisa said. “See you soon.”

“See you soon,” Jack echoed, and heard the click in his ear that told him Lisa had ended the call. Right away, he set a fresh pot of coffee brewing.

Amy observed his movements and thought to herself something had changed in him overnight. Something, or someone had re-lit the spark in him that had been missing ever since suffering the heart attack. Without thinking too hard about it, Amy had a pretty good idea who that someone was, and she was pleased her grandfather had not given up on that person. Good for you, Grandpa, she thought as she sipped her tea. Dad might have nearly screwed everything up for you earlier, but I’m so glad you and Lisa seem to have found your way back to each other.

Jack caught himself humming while pouring himself another cup of coffee for the wait. The morning sun was shining brightly, clear evidence the stormy weather had moved on. He sat himself down on the bench on the front porch, keeping his eyes open for Lisa’s arrival. He refused to think she would be bringing news he did not want to hear. As such, his mind was already running ahead of him: to what he would say, and how he would show her he meant what he said about loving her and wanting her to stay.

You’re not committed to me!

Lisa’s complaint from their early days needed to be crushed for good, Jack thought. I’m ready for that commitment, Lis, and I think you are, too. All he had to do now was find the right time to prove it to her.

Almost as if she had set a timer, Lisa pulled up and parked her car thirty minutes after her call. Jack put down his mug and went to meet her.

“Hi,” she said, a sly smile forming on her lips.

“Hi,” Jack replied, taking in her freshly styled tresses. He listened with a burning heart as she informed him she had taken Fairfield off the market for now. She searched his eyes for some sign this was the answer to his question he was hoping to hear.

It did not even matter to him she added “for now”. He further did not even care she was keeping Cinders. All that mattered was she was here and she was staying. It would be up to him to convince her to change that “for now” to “forever”.

That’s the best news I’ve heard in a long, long time, Lis, he thought, as he lifted his hat from his head and pulled her in for a deep kiss. She laughed happily, thrilled her news had elicited this response from him. She pressed her lips to his again, just for good measure.

When they pulled back from each other, Jack’s face had grown serious. “You won’t regret it,” he said. And she could tell he meant it.

Chapter 27: Love is a Fire

#heartland #heartland fanfic #heartland fanfiction #Jack Bartlett #Lisa Stilman #JISA #My fics #Wide River to Cross #update #Chapter 26 #We'll Get to the Other Side #Jack and Lisa

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