When Calls the Heart Season 9 Episode 9: Recent Memory

Elizabeth finds a nice birthday surprise from Lucas, red roses. She is touched that Lucas was able to find flowers at this time of year. One thing Lucas cannot find is Henry Gowan.

Lucas meets Fiona to find out what happened with Henry in San Francisco. She informs him nothing went to plan as Henry confronted Jerome about re-opening the mine. Now their deal to sell the company depends on removing Henry from the board and having Lucas stay on.

As Lucas prepares to leave his office to meet Elizabeth, he is confronted by Wyman and Spurlock at his office door. Wyman takes a seat in Lucas's chair and tells Lucas he is going to sell him The Queen of Hearts.

Lucas tells Elizabeth that Wyman is back, but that is not all. Lucas was working with Wyman as part of a sting operation with the treasury department to catch him stealing and have him arrested. Unfortunately, Lucas's contact at the treasury has gone silent, and when Lucas tried to pull out of the operation and stop working with Wyman he ended up with a black eye. Elizabeth says it is time to go to Bill for help.

At the beauty shop, Rosemary thanks Fiona for allowing her to borrow the space for a day of beauty with Elizabeth. Lee mentions that Arthur Gilchrist from the Hearst office is coming to town for a meeting with The Valley Voice.

Fiona is shocked by the mention of the name, as he is an investor in the oil deal she is working on. She hopes to steer clear of him when he comes to town, as negotiations are not going well.

Faith finds Mei at the pharmacy. Mei is leaving for Chicago and does not know how to break the news to Nathan.

When Bill learns Wyman is back in town, he assumes it is because Wyman thinks the coal mine will be opened. There is only one thing they can do now: let Wyman buy The Queen of Hearts.

Bill stages a fight with Hickam for Wyman to hear. As Hickam leaves, Wyman demands that Bill help him secure the deed for The Queen of Hearts. Bill tells Wyman he wants to be mayor again, and that if Wyman can help make that happen along with getting him some cash, he can get the deed.

During their day of beauty Rosemary finds Elizabeth very tense. She mentions Lucas's business with Wyman. Rosemary can understand why she is tense, as Wyman is wanted for murder in a town nearby.

At the saloon, Nathan finds Mei on her way to Chicago. She has no choice, as Jeffrey is still pursuing charges against her. Nathan offers to go with her, and Mei appreciates the gesture but insists he cannot leave Allie. Nathan thanks her for helping him and Newton.

While cleaning up the mess from a washing machine leak at the mercantile, Florence tells Molly she is sad to see Mei go and hopes she will return. She asks how Faith is handling it. Molly says Faith is carrying a torch for Nathan.

Lee gives Joseph a hand at the cafe. Joseph confronts Lee about co-signing their loan, and wishes Lee had asked him first.

Lucas hunkers down at the row house with Elizabeth to celebrate her birthday by candlelight, as well as to hide, as Bill's plan to get rid of Wyman involves Lucas being gone. He and Little Jack surprise Elizabeth with a birthday cupcake.

At dinner, Cooper eats his meal as Joseph shares how everyone pitched in at the cafe to help them buy and run it. Cooper says it sounds like they had a lot of help from good friends.

Nathan takes a walk with Faith as she finishes up a late-night house call. She asks how he is handling Mei's departure. He tells her she can relate, as Carson also left town, and says the situations differ because Faith was ready to get married. Faith tells Nathan she was not the one who wanted to get married, catching Nathan by surprise.

Bill sees Wyman, along with his henchman Spurlock, head into town with the money for the deed. Bill pulls out his gun and states Wyman is under arrest for attempted murder. Nearby, Spurlock reacts by shooting at Nathan, knocking the hat right off his head. He tries to make a run for it, but Nathan chases him and arrests him.

Later outside the saloon, Bill wants to know about Lucas working with Wyman. Lucas assures Bill it was a sting to catch Wyman stealing. However, Bill is unable to find Lucas's contact at the treasury to confirm his story. Wyman also told a different one, that Lucas was working with gamblers in Louisiana and there are records proving it locked in Lucas's office. Elizabeth walks over to find out what is happening as Nathan goes into Lucas's office to look for the documents. He comes out with two ledgers, leaving open whether Wyman was right about Lucas.

The episode ends on a deliberate cliffhanger. Bill arrests Wyman Walden for attempted murder and Nathan arrests Spurlock, but Lucas's account of working with Walden as a treasury sting cannot be verified because Bill is unable to reach Lucas's contact at the treasury. Wyman's competing story, that Lucas was working with gamblers in Louisiana, is supported by two ledgers Nathan finds in Lucas's office, so whether Wyman was telling the truth about Lucas is not confirmed within the episode.

Mei's departure is also left unresolved. She is leaving for Chicago because Jeffrey is still pursuing charges, she refuses Nathan's offer to accompany her, and the episode does not show her leaving or the case being settled.

Two further threads remain open: Bill's pneumonia test result is still not shown, and Arthur Gilchrist's visit to The Valley Voice is announced but not yet played out, with Fiona hoping to avoid him because the oil negotiations are not going well.