When Calls the Heart Season 12 Episode 12: Must Be Gold

Elizabeth journals about spring turning into summer as Nathan and Little Jack play catch with a baseball. Jack is growing stronger every day with daily insulin injections, and the students are preparing their end-of-year project presentations, with Emily, Angela and Timmy ready to embrace the future waiting for them after graduation. At the saloon Rosemary tells Bill that she does not want to go to print with the Garrison story until she answers the question of where the gold is. Bill relays that they do not know and that Edie did not give them anything when they spoke.

Rosemary wonders whether Edie would open up to a different kind of questioner in herself, under the guise of interviewing her about Hope Valley's newest law office.

At the Mountie office Oliver asks Nathan whether he can leave early for his school presentation; Nathan agrees and says that he will see him there. Nathan gives Oliver a form stating that he is suggesting Oliver graduate from Mountie training with honors and that his next station is Fort McNeil, and Oliver dejectedly takes in the form.

Rosemary interviews Edie at Bill's office, as Edie is renting a desk and space from him while she looks for an actual office. Edie tells Rosemary how her uncle left his ranch to her when he passed, and Rosemary notices a map behind Edie. Edie mentions that her uncle drew it and recalls how he always knew how to make things magical, and talks about merging her life in law with the ranch now.

At the schoolhouse Elizabeth introduces the students' project-based learning experiments to the crowd of students and parents, congratulates them on all their hard work and thanks everyone for coming to support them. Allie and Oliver present their stream project to Lucas with Nathan looking on, and Oliver compliments Allie's work and Nathan takes notice. Angela presents her findings on how music helps plants grow to her parents and notes that it is her last-ever Hope Valley assignment; Minnie seems dismayed.

Elizabeth, Mei and Faith note how Minnie is having a hard time with Angela's graduation, and Elizabeth wonders whether there is something they can do for Minnie. Lucas compliments Elizabeth's project-based learning and thinks that he can help with convincing the district that it should be implemented.

At the mercantile Elizabeth and Mei ask Florence for help with a surprise for Angela and Minnie, and Mike asks to join. Elizabeth tells them all to think of six special things about Angela, and Florence says that she will tell Molly too. Florence gives Elizabeth a letter, and it is from Little Jack's grandma, Charlotte Thornton.

Elizabeth reads the letter to Rosemary at her house, telling her that Jack's grandma is now in the city of Cape Fullerton where there are apparently excellent doctors. Charlotte Thornton believes that Elizabeth and Little Jack living there with that medical access might be best for him. Rosemary thinks that she is just a concerned grandmother and that Elizabeth should explain the clinic in Hope Valley to her.

Elizabeth says that she spoke to Dr. Carter, who agrees that taking Jack away from his home and what is working does not seem necessary, and Rosemary thinks that the letter is helpful information for a time if, or when, a relocation is necessary.

At the café Hickam and Mei ask Cooper and Toby some of Angela's favourite things as they plan for the surprise. When Minnie asks what they are doing, Mike and Mei stumble on a coverup story and land on telling her that they are working on a “sort-of surprise, secret school questionnaire for the Valley Voice.”

As Lucas and Edie play cards at the saloon, Lucas asks whether she would like to be his lawyer. She accepts, and now that they retain client-attorney privilege she asks to share about her Uncle Ernie. Lucas mentions the stolen coins, and Edie wonders whether her uncle meant for her to find them after he died to return them to their owner. Lucas agrees to help her find them, and they cheers their drinks.

At Bill's office Rosemary mentions to him and Nathan that Edie sparked up when they spoke about her uncle. Bill puts a map down in front of them and notes that based on this map, Ernie could likely have seen out of his cabin when Jake and the Garrisons buried the gold. Bill says that he believes Ernie followed their lantern light, saw the gold, heard their plan, and went back later to move the gold somewhere else himself.

As they evaluate the map, Rosemary remembers Edie saying that her uncle Ernie used to say that the ranch is “where wishes came true.” They see the water well — “a wishing well” — that is drawn much larger and not to scale. Bill grabs the double-headed eagle gold coin and places it in the circle that is drawn on the well in the map, and it fits perfectly.

Nathan comes to Elizabeth's as she grades students' final schoolwork at her table. She notes that everyone has improved this year except for Oliver, who was doing well until his final report, and Nathan notes that the same thing happened for Oliver's latest Mountie report. Nathan says that he thinks Oliver is throwing away his Mountie career so he can stay put in Hope Valley with Allie. Elizabeth says that they are just friends, and Nathan says that he does not think anyone should put their life on hold to be with someone.

Nathan asks whether Elizabeth is okay as she looks off, and she claims that graduation is just hitting her harder this year. She tells Nathan that she loves him, and he says that she is what he thinks about all the time. Nathan tells her that he is so relieved that their life will always be in Hope Valley together, and Elizabeth contemplates the note from Mrs. Thornton out of the corner of her eye.

Elizabeth visits Oliver at the stables to give him his final exam, which has an A+. She calls him out on attempting to fail this exam and his Mountie exam and asks him what is going on. Oliver tells her that he really wants to be a Mountie, but that he was just starting to feel normal and he never got to be a kid. Elizabeth tells him that everyone deserves the chance to be a kid and that it is okay if he wants to take some time before heading into the real world.

She tells him that he is wise to treasure his childhood and that they can both speak to Nathan about this, and that even when he is a boring grown-up he can still play and be silly. She tags him and says, “you're it;” Oliver smiles and runs after her.

Edie explores her uncle Ernie's ranch cabin with Lucas. Lucas finds a jar of coins on a shelf, and Edie says how she used to take pennies from the jar and make wishes in the well. Edie pours them out on the table and she and Lucas sift through them, and they find a double-headed eagle coin. Lucas asks where the well is and they head outside, and as they begin to dig, Rosemary, Nathan and Bill approach with shovels. After digging they come across a locked trunk in the ground.

Back at the Mountie office they compare how they all got to the gold as Bill unlocks the trunk. Edie opens the case and they see all of the gold coins. Lucas tells her that she gets a finder's fee and can use it to pay back anything her uncle might have borrowed. Edie sees the map that Rosemary, Bill and Nathan used and holds it up to the candle to reveal a secret hidden ink message written by Ernie for Edie. It is the entire story of how he found the gold, hid it at the well, and used it to pay for Edie's law school, and Ernie tells her that the rest is left to her.

At the café Molly, Florence, Elizabeth, Mike and Mei share their surprise for Angela with Minnie: a quilt that they made for Angela to take to school. Each of them designed different squares with things Angela likes, such as the ukulele and strawberry rhubarb pie, in different textures. Elizabeth tells Minnie that they are all here for her, and Minnie cries and tells them that she loves it, that Angela will love it, and that she loves them all, and they share a group hug.

At the saloon Elizabeth congratulates Timmy, Angela and Emily on graduating, they get their diplomas, and the crowd applauds. Students and their families dance together at the saloon after graduation. Rosemary, Lee and Elizabeth surprise Mike and Mei with tickets to Miami for their “third” honeymoon, to thank them for putting their second honeymoon on hold to help Little Jack.

Nathan approaches Oliver at the graduation and tells him that he is in need of a deputy if Oliver is okay hanging around Hope Valley another year; Oliver wonders whether he is eligible, and Nathan tells him that it is dependent on his final test if he wants to take it again. Allie comes by and grabs Oliver to dance, and Elizabeth wonders whether the interest between Allie and Oliver is in fact mutual.

Lucas approaches Elizabeth and relays that he was able to persuade the school board and that she gets to present her curriculum at the education conference next month. Elizabeth wants to think about it as she does not think that she should be away from Jack for three days. Nathan assures her that he can handle Jack for that time and that she can lean on him a bit more, and Nathan and Elizabeth dance together.

Edie enters the saloon and Lucas asks her to dance; she wonders whether dancing tests the limits of their attorney-client privilege unless he fires her, and he fires her for the duration of the dance and they head to the dance floor together. Allie gives Angela a poem that she wrote for her in braille about everything she will miss about Angela, they hug and promise to write one another, and they dance with Cooper and Oliver.

Elizabeth tells Little Jack about going to Pembroke Falls with Nathan for a day out as she does the dishes. When Little Jack does not answer, Elizabeth comes to find him passed out on the couch. She tries to wake him up but he is unresponsive, and she screams for help. Rosemary and Dr. Carter come over to Elizabeth's house. Little Jack is awake, but Faith explains that other patients have been experiencing similar symptoms and that they believe the insulin might not have been properly refrigerated in transit and thus has not been working.

Faith says that the lab is rushing another shipment from Toronto and that she has called all over to try to find some insulin closer. Elizabeth mentions the new insulin ward in Cape Fullerton to Faith, and Dr. Carter says that she will call them as well. Elizabeth wonders whether they should just head there tonight; Faith agrees and wonders whether being in Cape Fullerton might be for the best for the immediate future right now. Rosemary asks Faith whether, if it were Lily, she would go, and Faith says that she would.

Rosemary tells Elizabeth that she will check the train schedule and that they will get her and Little Jack out tonight.

Elizabeth tearfully tells Jack that they are going on an adventure to Cape Fullerton tonight. Jack asks whether they are then staying there, and she tells him that they are, at least for a little while. Rosemary leaves to find Nathan, who is out on rounds. Minnie brings Elizabeth food for the train and relays that the men are still out looking for Nathan, and they discuss how difficult it is to realize that their children's lives will not look like others'. Minnie tells Elizabeth that she is strong and that she can carry more than she thinks she can, and that she will, for Little Jack.

The taxi arrives and Elizabeth hugs Minnie, and Minnie reminds her that they will always be there for her.

Inside, Elizabeth gives Rosemary a note to give to Nathan. Elizabeth picks up Little Jack and they head out the door; she turns and takes in her house once more, turns out the light and leaves, and she and Rosemary hug goodbye. Elizabeth's letter reveals to Nathan that they had to leave and that she will call as soon as they are settled in Cape Fullerton, and it tells him that she could never ask him to uproot his and Allie's life in Hope Valley to join them. As Nathan rides up to Elizabeth's house on horseback, Allie runs over to him with Elizabeth's letter from Rosemary in hand.

As Elizabeth and Little Jack ride in the taxi, a car approaches from behind them honking the horn. Elizabeth asks the taxi to pull over, and it is Nathan and Allie. They both get in the car, and Allie says that family sticks together. Nathan tells Elizabeth that they will figure it out together, and that where she goes, he goes. They share a kiss. All four of them ride in the taxi to the train station. For Elizabeth, things may seem uncertain tonight, but no matter what, some day they will return to Hope Valley.

The finale ends with the whole family leaving Hope Valley. Little Jack passes out on the couch and cannot be woken. Faith explains that other patients have had the same symptoms and that the insulin was probably not refrigerated properly in transit, so it has not been working; a replacement is being rushed from Toronto and Faith has been calling around for anything closer. Elizabeth remembers Charlotte Thornton's letter about the new insulin ward in Cape Fullerton, and that night she and Little Jack leave. She leaves a note for Nathan saying she could never ask him to uproot his and Allie's life. Nathan and Allie catch the taxi before the station, Allie says that family sticks together, and Nathan tells Elizabeth that where she goes, he goes. The four of them ride to the train station together, and Elizabeth says in voice over that things may seem uncertain tonight but that no matter what, some day they will return to Hope Valley.

The gold thread is fully resolved. Bill deduces that Ernie Martel moved the gold, the oversized well on his map gives up the location, and the trunk is dug up at the well. Ernie's hidden-ink message explains everything: he found the gold, hid it there, and used it to pay for Edie's law school, leaving the rest to her. The episode confirms that Ernie was not part of the Garrison gang, which closes the question Nathan and Bill raised in Episode 9.

What remains unresolved: the show does not state how long Elizabeth and Little Jack will be in Cape Fullerton, or whether the new insulin ward will work — the episode ends on the journey, not the treatment, and Little Jack's condition is not resolved on screen. Charlotte Thornton is named and does not appear. Whether Nathan's deputy offer to Oliver is accepted is left open, as is whether the interest between Allie and Oliver is mutual. Elizabeth's education conference presentation is accepted in principle and not yet given. The Garrison gold's legal ownership — and whether any of it is returned to anyone besides Edie — is not addressed beyond her finder's fee. Mike and Mei's Miami trip is given and not taken.