‘When Calls the Heart’ Recap: ‘Buried Treasure’

3/3/2025

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1209 of ‘When Calls the Heart’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

It is definitely safe to say that When Calls the Heart on the Hallmark Channel, has a done fine job of building up a couple of mysteries/plot lines over the past couple of weeks. After all, we’ve been dying to know what brought Ava to Hope Valley and why she is so eager to keep her past a secret, and we’ve also been quite curious as to how the whole Garrison Gang storyline will play out. Since clearly, there’s buried treasure hiding somewhere in the hills surrounding this town and it is only a matter of time before that brings real trouble to the good people of this city, and well, as it turns out, now was the right time to solve the mystery of Ava and bring the Garrison Gang matter to a head.

That led to a satisfying adventure, one that revealed that Ava was basically on the lamb in ‘Buried Treasure’. For she used to be a magician’s assistant and sadly, worked for a ‘magician’ that was a con man through and through, and when one of his heists fell through, she took the blame and that put her on the run. To the point where she opted to follow what she knew from Elizabeth’s novel and that brought her to Hope Valley. To hide and figure out her next steps, and well, those ended up revolving around honesty since she could hide no more. Thanks to Elizabeth and Rosemary, who did their own investigation into the matter.

Which they were forced to do, because Nathan was out at the old ranch, searching for the Garrison Gang. For the understanding was that they would come to that ranch eventually to reclaim their gold coins and well, they were only half right about that. For the mysterious stranger that came into town last week, turned out to be a member of the gang, and he made sure to recruit Allie and Oliver to help him find the location of the treasure. Which was nowhere near the old ranch, and that put Allie and Oliver in grave danger. For eventually, the met up with Sonny Garrison, and he was keen on keeping them around and making them do his dirty work and who knows what would have happened to them if others in town did not realize that they were missing.

But folks did notice, and that prompted the town to pool their resources mentally and they quickly figured out the danger. Which sent everyone available into the woods, wherein Elizabeth was able to distract and delay long enough to inspire Allie and Oliver to create some infighting within the Garrison gang. All of which bought enough time for Nathan and Bill to be made aware of the situation and swoop in to save the day. Wherein they were able to arrest the gang at last and revel in the fact that the gang came away with nothing. Since someone robbed the robbers, and that made for a happy ending. One that solved a mystery and closed a chapter and set the stage for the real fight of season twelve.

For Lucas came to realize that the only way he was going to save the park and assert some measure of control, was to issue an executive order moving the cattle out of the park. A move that Edie, and others, let him know would result in hideous backlash. The kind that would most likely be the end of his time as governor. But the right thing matters more to Lucas, and he made the call regardless and that does set the stage for a grand fight. One that could change the landscape of Hope Valley for years to come. But while we wait to see that play out, we can revel in a fine tale. One that moved some big plot points along and opened up the end of the season to wonders untold. Until next time.

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