Spring was exhausted by the time the two officers were done their questioning. She had been able to see them trying to poke holes in the story, but she and Colton had held firm. He was willing to forfeit his bail which just irritated Spring to no end. This self-flagellation had to end as it wasn't doing any of them any good.

There were lines of fatigue and pain etched on Colton's face and she was angry the two police officers hadn't shown more compassion. Was this what Colton was like when he was interrogating suspects? Spring didn't like it. There had been no professional courtesy extended which had only served to stoke her irritation.

Still, it was over now.

"We should get going," Colton said. "Except you still don't have a coat."

"I'll survive," she said petulantly. "And besides, you don't have a coat either."

"He does now," a voice said. The curtain was pulled back and Seth and Dorrie appeared. He handed Colton his coat. "Retrieved it for you. There are a few tears and I know it's your favourite-"

Colton waved him off, then promptly handed Spring the jacket.

She merely rolled her eyes.

"You need a jacket," Seth asked her.

"No," she said firmly. "It's not that far to my place and I'll survive."

"You're still in shock," Colton argued.

Spring felt incredulous. "I am not," she argued. "Now you're just being ridiculous. Look, I'm going to call a cab. I'll retrieve my coat and car from the office. There's an end to it."

"Not so fast," Dorrie said. "Because you're going to want to hear what Sophie found when she did a quick sweep of the house."

That had Spring's attention. She looked back and forth between the two cops.

"A suicide note," Seth said. "You're not going to believe what she said. Well, maybe you will." He turned to Colton. "She said she made the whole thing up. Basically, she absolved you of everything."

Spring felt a surge of excitement and looked over at Colton who was clearly not enjoying her enthusiasm. "What's wrong? This is really good news."

"They're going to say I coerced her," Colton said.

Spring leapt from her chair and rounded on him. "You're always looking for the bad in this situation. There won't be any proof you coerced her because you didn't."

"How do you know I didn't," Colton asked.

Spring threw her arms in the air. "Back to the answering the question with a question." She glanced over at the cops. "Tell him he's being ridiculous."

Neither did. In fact, neither looked happy.

"What is it," Spring asked.

"Belinda is in a coma," Dorrie said. "If she wakes up and talks to the Abbotsford cops, that's one thing. If she doesn't wake up then there will still be questions surrounding the note."

"And they'll have to compare handwriting," Seth said, "although that's just a formality."

"Why would they need to do that," Spring asked, completely baffled.

"Because Colton's been in her house."

"Saving her life," Spring said, turning to Seth. "Did you tell them that? How he stuck his hand in her mouth to get the vomit out? How he blew into that vomit-filled mouth until he managed to get her lungs working again?" She gave Seth a level look. "You helped, of course, but still...how can they now claim he had anything to do with this?"

"They have to be suspicious," Dorrie said. "And Colton understands that because we would be the same way if we were in the same position."

Spring's hands flew into the air. "This is just silly."

"It's procedure," Seth said. "We do this because it protects everyone and everything – including the truth."

"Do they think she'll come out of the coma," Colton asked. "Doc didn't say anything about this."

"She didn't want to worry you," Seth said. "I know your sensibilities aren't so easily disturbed." He turned to Spring. "I figured you would be okay with the unvarnished truth."

"I am," she confirmed. "And that's as a concerned friend, not a journalist. Of course, if I could go to print with this story, it would help Colton in the court of public opinion."

"Or not," Dorrie said quietly. "Some people will always see him as guilty."

Which depressed Spring. "I'm going to write a story," she said, turning to Seth. "Did Jocelyne talk to you?"

He nodded. "She briefly mentioned something to me. It worries me, of course, but I think this is part of her journey to healing. There was never a timetable to this and, at odd moments, she'll be pulled into her past. She thinks I don't see, but I do. I hope she knows she can talk to me, but I respect her privacy."

"And now she wants to talk to Spring," Colton said. "At the very least, she should talk to Kennedy first."

"You're hoping my sister will talk Jocelyne out of this."

"I do," Colton confirmed. "Because I'm not worth it."

Spring glanced at Seth and Dorrie, neither of whom looked pleased. "This is getting us nowhere," she said in anger. "I'm out of here."

She heard Colton call her name, but she almost broke into a run she was so dedicated to getting out of there. Only when she hit the front door of the hospital did she realize her folly. There was freezing rain and no cab in sight. With a sigh of frustration, she turned around, looking for one of those dedicated phones where she would be able to get a taxi.

"I've got a car," she heard Dorrie say.

"Did you and Seth come together?"

"Yes, but Seth needs to drive Colton home because it looks like those painkillers are finally kicking in. I'll drop you wherever you need to go and the go back to Colton's. Seth and I will make sure he's okay and then I'll drive Seth to retrieve his car."

Spring's eyes narrowed. "That sounds awfully complicated."

"Not so bad," Dorrie said. "The complicated part is getting Seth back to the detachment so he can put his gun in his lockbox and out of his uniform."

"He's not on duty?"

Dorrie shook her head. "He went off duty about an hour ago. He's not supposed to be in uniform, but our boss gave him permission to come here so he could check up on both Belinda and Colton."

"Dorrie, how did this happen?"

The police officer pulled her keys from her car. "Let's get you to your office."

End of discussion, Spring realized. If she was going to get answers, they weren't going to come from Colton's partner. So she gratefully accepted the ride to her office which was made in silence. Once in the parking lot, she was about to get out when she hesitated. "I want to write about Colton," she said. "I want to write about some of the victims he's helped."

"You're not going to get any help from me," Dorrie said. "I will never talk about the people who've had the misfortune to cross paths with us."

"Could you at least let them know they can talk to me? I think my editor will let them speak to me anonymously-"

"The answer is no, Spring, so don't ask again. What we do..." Her voice trailed off. "We meet people on the worst day of their lives. Colton and I dislike running into victims and we would never acknowledge them unless they make the first move. We're part of the community of Mission City, but we have a very unique role. We protect as best we can and help pick up the pieces when things fall apart."

And Spring understood. She thought about Autumn and all her sister had been through. She thought about all the letters of support the newspaper had received. Some of them might even be willing to talk, Spring thought.

"Recovery is a delicate balance," Dorrie said, "and someone from the outside can't just dive in assuming they know what they're doing. Look, it's not that Colton isn't grateful – he is. But he'll walk away from his career before he hurts another victim."

"Do you believe he coerced Belinda?"

She shrugged. "I think there were two people in that room and neither of us were there." With that Spring realized the conversation was over.

"Thanks for the ride, Dorrie." She opened the door and was almost out before she said, "who is served if Colton steps down?" With that she was gone.

She hustled into the office yet was still damp when she made it in the door. Grabbing a tissue from Edna's counter as she rounded it and headed towards the newsroom. To her surprise, Harrison was still there.

"An overdose?"

Spring arched an eyebrow.

Harrison shrugged. "I turned on the police scanner," he said unapologetically. "And I might have a snitch in the hospital."

"That's illegal," Spring said.

"He overheard something which was said in an open corridor between two nurses. If they can't be discreet, that's not my problem."

"I still don't like it."

"And I'm not planning to report it, so don't get your knickers in a twist."

Normally, Spring loved Harrison's little cute comments, but today she wasn't in the mood. "What story are you going to run?"

"Leah had written a piece about the delays on the Stave Lake Dam retrofit to make it earth quake proof."

"That's old news," Spring said. "That's been underway for years."

"True, but there have been three accidents up there and the contractor has been trying to keep it under wraps. Leah talked to some EMS workers and got the scoop."

Spring nodded. "Okay, then it's probably a good story. But aren't accidents par for the course?"

"Sure, but then why cover them up? And what else has happened which didn't involve EMS?"

"Fair enough. Sorry I couldn't get you something."

"But you have something up your sleeve."

"I do," Spring confirmed. "Would it be okay if I went through the letters supporting Colton again?"

"What are you thinking?"

"That maybe there might be some people he's helped who are willing to go on the record. Or off the record, for that matter. I mean, would you be okay with anonymous sources?"

"Independent verification, Spring, you know that."

"Okay," Spring said. "I can do that."

An hour later, Spring was sitting in the kitchen of Sissy Hampton.

"Can I get you a coffee," Sissy asked. "Or do you prefer tea?"

"Whatever you're having," Spring replied.

"I drink eggnog this time of year. Non-alcoholic, of course," Sissy rushed to add. "A little eccentric quirk of mine."

Spring raised an eyebrow.

"Recovering drug addict," Sissy said. "Three years clean and sober next month."

"Congratulations," Spring said with feeling. "I know how hard that can be. Well, not me personally, but I do know. My sister is a psychologist and I've seen her treating addicts."

"Oh, I know who your sister is," Sissy said. "I've never been a patient at Healing Horses, but I know about the good work they do."

Something in the way Sissy spoke brought Spring to attention. "Do you contribute, financially?"

"We do," Sissy said. "My husband and I are very fortunate and we make regular donations to a number of charities. Healing Horses is one of them. We don't advertise this fact, but Kennedy is aware."

"That's good of you," Spring said. "But what I would really like to know is how you and Colton...that is to say, you wrote to us and said, you know..."

Sissy's smile was warm and genuine, lighting her beautiful brown eyes which matched her brown curly hair. "He arrested me."

Spring's jaw dropped. "I'm sorry, he arrested you?"

Sissy nodded. "For prostitution. I wasn't a prostitute. Well, that's not strictly true. At the time I wasn't. In fact, I was busted on my first foray into that world. I was also almost killed by a serial killer that night."

"Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Of course not. I wrote to you because...well, even if Colton did what he did – and I don't believe he did – then people need to know that he's done some good."

"That's incredibly generous of you," Spring said. "He's not guilty, but you don't have any way of knowing that."

Sissy's head tilted. "But you can know a person. He arrested me and that was the lowest moment of my life. He could have been self-satisfied, or even gloating, but he was none of those things. He was compassionate and kind, offering to get me help if I wanted it. I didn't, and he respected that too. I moved away from Mission City that day, but I never forgot him."

"And you came back."

"I lived in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver as a drug addict for six months," Sissy said simply. "Meeting my husband changed the course of my life, and I'll be forever grateful for that. Now I'm studying to get my degree in social work and am planning to work in addictions counselling. We've adopted a beautiful baby boy and I'm close with many people in the community."

"And you think Colton had something to do with that."

"Colton believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. I could have died that night, if not for his intervention."

It sounded almost too fantastical, except Spring had heard about a serial killer being arrested in Mission City a few years ago after going on a cross-Canada killing spree.

"And you don't mind me putting your name in the newspaper?"

Sissy shook her head. "Since I've been sober, I've never tried to hide my addiction. Would I prefer you not mention the prostitution? Of course. But you have a job to do."

A few minutes later, Spring left, a few quotes in hand.

The next stop was to a nice house in a nice neighbourhood. The door was opened and Spring was surprised.

"Miss Lee," she said.

"Hello Spring. Please come in and you can call me Jenna."

Jenna Lee had been Spring's chemistry teacher in high school. A class Spring had barely passed. She hesitated. "I don't know if I would be comfortable with that."

"Yet I suspect you call Gage Clayton by his first name," Jenna pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but that's different, you know?"

"Because his wife was once a patient of Kennedy's? Well, you're about to meet another patient of Kennedy's."

Which shouldn't have been a surprise, Spring was beginning to realize. Kennedy often worked with clients who had gone through very traumatic events. "Not you," Spring said, working to keep the incredulous tone from her voice.

"What? Oh, no, not me. My adopted daughter was the one who wrote you. She wants to talk to you, but I want to be very clear here, she's not to be identified in any way. I tried to discourage her, but she's firm on this and I'm not in a position to tell her what to do. She's in fourth year university, so I have little influence over her."

"That's not true, Mom."

Spring turned to see a petite woman, no more than five foot two, which was the same height as her foster mother. Spring felt like a giant, towering over the two women. Whereas Jenna had jet-black hair and deep brown eyes which bespoke her Asian heritage, Katie had brown hair with eyes on the lighter side of brown as well. She was pretty, but would never stand out in a crowd and Spring suspected that was the way the young woman preferred it.

"Mom, can you give us some privacy?"

Jenna didn't look pleased, but she acquiesced, leaving the room.

"Won't you sit," Katie asked Spring. Spring sat on what looked like a formal sofa but was actually quite comfortable. "You're wondering why I wrote in supporting Corporal Pritchard."

"It's something I'm trying to understand," Spring admitted. "Especially given the circumstances."

"He arrested me."

This time, Spring's jaw didn't drop. It was close, but she managed to keep her mouth shut.

Katie, who was also now seated, rubbed her hands on her jeans-clad thighs. "You see, I had been sexually abused by my father from the time I was about four years old until I killed him when I was fourteen."

Spring felt an odd desire to cheer. A man molesting his own daughter? Of course Spring knew it happened, but it was appalling. She waited for Katie to continue.

"Colton arrested me after I killed my father. Now, he didn't know why I had done it and I know he was suspicious of me, but all that changed when my lawyer told him what had happened. He was one of the people who advocated I not be charged. He was compassionate a kind to a young woman who was aching inside. I had shied away from all contact with men, but Corporal Pritchard, and Mr. Clayton, showed me that not all men were bad." A shadow passed across her face. "Just a few months later, I gave birth to a baby girl. She's been adopted by an amazing family and is a healthy little girl. Thanks to Mom – I call her that because my own mother died when I was just two and I've never known the love of a mother – and other people in my life, things worked out okay for me. I mean, I could have wound up in jail or in the system, but people cared about what happened to me. Corporal Pritchard cared."

"You're not the first woman to tell me this," Spring said. "I won't use your name or any particulars, but do you mind if I tell a bit of your story?"

Katie nodded. "For Mom's sake, as well as my little girl's, I would prefer not to be identified. If not for them, I would speak out. Kennedy taught me I didn't deserve what happened to me and it is okay to talk about it, if I need to. I was in counselling for a long time."

"At the ranch?"

Again, Katie nodded.

"I don't remember seeing you there," Spring said honestly.

"We kept it low profile," Katie admitted. "I only came by when no one else was around. Back then, I couldn't stand to be around people. I thought they all knew my dirty little secret and they were judging me. I don't feel that way anymore."

Spring swallowed. "You're unbelievably brave."

Katie shook her head with a small smile. "Just stubborn. I wasn't going to let my past define me. And it hasn't." The smile turned rueful. "Or maybe it has. I've been studying social work. I had an amazing social worker who helped place me with Mom and that made all the difference in the world. I had only ever known misery, but there were people – strangers – who embraced me and helped me heal. Your sister was one of those people. So was Corporal Pritchard."

"But he's been accused of rape. He didn't do it," Spring was quick to add, "but the accusation's been made."

"Anybody can say anything," Katie said, "and most of the time they're telling the truth. Maybe this woman was raped by him, but I know I have to speak out because I don't believe he did it. Does that make me naïve? Of course. And for someone with my life experience, you would think I wouldn't be capable of naïveté."

"You're right to believe in him," Spring said. She wanted to talk about the recantation, but that was beyond her purview. "I'll tell your story – the part about where Colton helped you. You won't be identifiable, of course, but your speaking out makes a difference, believe me."

"If only to him," Katie said.

Spring tilted her head in question.

"He needs to know there are people in the community willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. There is always such a rush to judgement on these things and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that first accounts are often wrong. They found me with a shotgun in my hands and a dead father. Could have been very cut and dried, but there were nuances."

"I don't think anyone is mourning your father," Spring said.

Katie shrugged. "He was still my father. He did good things, but I think that was more out of guilt than any desire to be nice to me. I was a means to an end with him. Nothing more, nothing less."

Spring felt incredibly sad, mournful for what this young woman had gone through. "You're graduating soon?"

Katie nodded. "I've already applied to a Master's of Social Work program and I think there's a good chance I'll get in. Mom was worried it might cause flashbacks and nightmares, but I've been volunteering for more than two years now and nothing bad has happened. I'll always have to live with my past, but it doesn't have to define me."

It was nearly ten o'clock when Spring was ushered into the Jacobs home. She looked around and inhaled.

"It smells new. That wood smell, it's amazing."

Jocelyne grinned. "Yes, I know. We've been in her for about seven months. We used to live in a one-bedroom cabin and I was worried I was going to have a baby while living there. Seth's brother is a contractor and they got this place built just in the nick of time."

"The baby's asleep?"

Nodding, Jocelyne indicated Spring should sit. "Claudette was all tuckered out. She spent the day with her grandmother who spoils her terribly." She smiled.

"And your parents? Do they enjoy being grandparents?"

Something passed Jocelyne's face making Spring instantly regret her question.

"My mother died a number of years ago and wasn't the maternal type anyway. I informed my father of Claudette's birth and he sent a sterling silver baby cup with her name. I've wondered if I'd had a boy whether my father would have been more interested. He has no heir to his shipping empire and I hope he's thinking Chantale or I will provide him that heir."

"That would be quite a coup," Spring commented.

"My children will never be groomed for such a position," Jocelyne assured her. "However, if Claudette or another child shows an interest then I'll leave it up to them. I have a trust fund which I never touch because that kind of life doesn't appeal to me." She paused. "I have a good job and a husband I adore. My baby helped complete me and I'm wanting for nothing."

Spring smiled. "That must be nice."

"It is," Jocelyne said, her face breaking into a grin. Then, just as quickly, something dark overtook her. "And if not for Colton's interference, I wouldn't be here today."

And that was her cue, Spring thought. She brought out her cellphone and silently asked permission. "It's on the record, but you'll be anonymous," she assured Jocelyne.

The good doctor nodded. "I wanted this to be without the veil of anonymity, but Seth reminded me about that little thing called the internet. If not for Claudette and Seth, I would be willing to go on the record. I was arrested and although I was never convicted, I don't want that incident to affect my relationship with my daughter."

Curiosity piqued, Spring asked, "did Colton arrest you?"

Jocelyne's brow shot up in surprised. "How did you know?"

"It seems to be a pattern," Spring said. "The last two women I met were also arrested by Colton. Those arrests came at critical points in their lives where things could have gone very wrong, but coming into contact with Colton changed their lives. Something he said or did changed their trajectory. Changed their lives."

"Same goes for me," Jocelyne said. "I was accused of committing a crime back in Québec and there was a warrant for my arrest. So he did what he had to do, believing he was following the law as well as protecting Seth. But he recognized in me...he saw something...I can't explain it, but he knew. He knew I had a secret and a past of abuse. He coaxed me into opening up about my horrific marriage and everything I had endured at the hands of my husband. Opening up to him allowed me to confront my demons. In the end, the charges against me were dropped and my ex-husband was arrested for sexually assaulting two young women. I have to live with the fact that because I didn't speak up they were raped, but Seth helped me work through that guilt.

"Then Colton and Chantale arranged for Seth and me to get together. Colton had never trusted me, but he had changed his mind, deciding I was good enough for his best friend." She hesitated. "His compassion was my undoing as well as my strength. He believes he has the high moral ground and a lot of the time he does. He stands and speaks for the victims when they can't."

"So I've been told," Spring murmured.

"Wasn't he married to your sister," Jocelyne asked.

Spring wasn't surprised at the question. "They were," she confirmed.

"Don't you think that might bias you," the doctor asked.

Considering, Spring picked up the phone and turned off the recorder. "I suppose it could, but I'm more concerned with the truth than revisiting a marriage which ended more than five years ago. Sunshine doesn't speak badly of him and has simply observed that it was a bad match. Even Hawk, her fiancé, holds no ill will. If they can be magnanimous then I suppose it's incumbent on me to be the same. Do I think he's an interfering cop who can't seem to stay away from Dixon sister business? Yes. But does he do most of it from a good place? The answer to that is yes as well."

"He does have a habit of sticking his nose into other people's business," Jocelyne agreed. "But you're right, it comes from a good place for the most part."

"Why come forward," Spring asked. "You had no obligation."

Jocelyne hesitated. "I know he didn't do the things he's been accused of doing and I felt it was important for me to speak out in his defence. It's not just because he's Seth's best friend, but that plays into it. Seth can't say anything without putting his career at risk and if there's one thing Seth would never do is risk not being able to be a cop."

"And Colton would understand that," Spring observed.

"He does," Jocelyne agreed. "He would be devastated if he was the reason Seth lost his job. And, if their situations were reversed, he would do the same thing. Colton loves being a cop and I can't see him doing anything else."

"He had sex with a victim," Spring said quietly. "Surely he must have known that would jeopardize his career."

Jocelyne shrugged. "We're all fallible. We've all been there – a place where we have to make a decision. What I did...I knew it might cost me my licence to practice medicine, but I knew I had to do the right thing, the moral thing. I'm not condoning what he did, but I do understand it."

Spring nodded, standing. "I should let you get some sleep."

Smiling, Jocelyne nodded. "Yes, very true. Claudette doesn't always sleep through the night so I have to be prepared. If I can get in a few hours before she wakes then that will be good. Seth should be home soon."

"Must be tough to both do shift work."

"Too true, but we wouldn't have it any other way." The doctor yawned. "Okay, I'll see you out."

They walked to the door in silence and Spring held up her knapsack. "It will be fair, I promise."

"That's all I can ask," Jocelyne said. "He's a good man in an untenable situation. Of his own making, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve a second chance. A lot of people will be hurt if he loses his job."

Spring didn't want to point out that Colton losing his job was one of the least horrible options. She was surprised, however, when Jocelyne pulled her into an embrace. When she pulled back, there was a sheen of tears in the doctor's eyes. "He helped me when I wasn't capable of letting Seth do it and for that, I owe him."

Nodding, Spring stepped out into the misting rain. Given it was November on the aptly nicknamed Wet Coast, she just pulled her jacket up to her ears and headed for her car.

R