7 Wild East Read Free

Doc’s shot was
working and the boy was beginning to look sleepy.
    “You folks are very fortunate,” Pete said enthusiastically,
unable to hold back his good news any longer. “This town is about to become
famous. We’re building a pipeline right through here!”
    Silence.
    “Maybe we should get Mark to the Moose,” I suggested faintly
when everyone else froze with horror and forgot how to speak in either English
or Gaelic.
    “ And call a meeting for tonight ,” Big John added
grimly. “ A pipeline! Dear God! I thought they had their hands full with
Keystone.”
     
    *  * 
*
     
    Inspector Charles Goodhead of the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police stood on the tarmac of James Armstrong Richardson International Airport
in Winnipeg waiting for the arrival of a new recruit into the Mounties who was
to be trained in outback patrol. Since Chuck had taken on the job of patrolling
the outback he’d been labeled as the expert in policing the rougher territories
of Manitoba. Along with the new job came the new responsibility of training
other Mounties in the unique requirements associated with working in the wild. The
rookie that Chuck was waiting for had been on the force only three months. His
name was Thomas Merryweather and he was some kind of biologist. Chuck had
arrived early to the airport because he wanted to make sure the Wings would be
ready for their flight. While he waited for the recruit to show he exchanged
idle banter with the Wings who continued tinkering with one of the engines.
    “So, you seem kind of distracted today,” Chuck observed. “What’s
weighing so heavily on your mind?”
    “Oh, it’s this test I’ve got to take to renew my pilot’s
license,” the Wings explained. “Hey, would you pass me that spanner over
there.”
    Chuck handed the Wings the greasy tool and then had to
resist the urge to rub his hand on his pants.
    “Why would any flying test make you nervous? You should pass
it with flying colors.”
    “It’s just that I haven’t studied the rules and regulations
in years. I’m nervous that I’ll do something or say something wrong and fail. I’m
telling you, if I don’t pass this test, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
    “If you don’t pass this test, I don’t know what McIntyre’s
Gulch is going to do,” Chuck countered.
    Chuck would have supplied more words of support, but at this
point in their conversation he was distracted by the sight of a Mountie
strolling his way from the nearby terminal attired in full dress uniform. The
man carried several bags with him hanging from every limb, some of the bags
even rolled on wheels, but the excess luggage didn’t seem to encumber his
movements. This didn’t prevent Chuck from having concerns about whether the
luggage would fit in the plane.
    The new Mountie’s uniform was spotless. He was tall, strong,
and even good looking. Chuck’s hopes of a successful and maybe even an
enjoyable training session rose at the sight of the stalwart recruit. Most
important to Chuck, the man was spot on time.
    “You must be Thomas Merryweather,” Chuck said while stepping
forward and extending his hand.
    “And you must be Senior Inspector Goodhead,” the Mountie
returned, dropping a couple of his bags to accept the handshake.
    The man wore a broad smile and his handshake was firm and
confident. He was young, maybe in his late twenties. He had short cropped blond
hair from what Chuck could see around the hat and a neatly trimmed blond mustache.
    “Hello, Tom. And you can call me Chuck.”
    “I’d prefer it if you call me Thomas. The boys in the
schoolyard used to call me Tom. It haunts me to this day. And I’ll be calling
you Senior Inspector for the time being, if you don’t mind.”
    “No, not at all, Thomas,” Chuck said, developing his first
inklings of concern regarding the welcoming the young Mountie was going to
receive when they made it to McIntyre’s Gulch. “So, tell me, where are you
from?”
    “Winnipeg, born