Chapter 14 - The Man Behind the Auction
Judge Harland was formally charged.
Clem negotiated for leniency by naming buyers.
Pike's death was traced to Harland's orders.
Abigail's suspected poisoning became part of the investigation.
The system that had seemed untouchable fractured.
But justice did not feel like celebration.
There were too many missing women.
Too many years stolen.
Eda understood that winning did not erase what happened.
It only prevented silence from becoming permanent.
Silas delayed leaving.
One day became three.
Three became a week.
He helped Amos rebuild records.
Helped Margaret locate families.
Helped repair the church roof.
But Eda knew.
Eventually he would go.
One evening they stood beside the ruins of his ranch.
Snow had begun melting.
“You loved her,” Eda said.
“Yes.”
“You still do.”
“Yes.”
Eda appreciated the answer.
Love didn't have to disappear for life to continue.
Silas looked at her.
“I thought surviving Abigail meant staying exactly where she left me.”
“And now?”
“Now I think she would be furious.”
Eda laughed.
“Sounds like I would've liked her.”
“You would have.”
He reached into his pocket.
Seven silver dollars.
Eda stared.
“The auction money?”
“The auctioneer returned it.”
Silas handed them to her.
“They're yours.”
Eda closed his fingers around them.
“No.”
“Eda—”
“Keep them.”
“Why?”
“So you remember the worst investment you ever made.”
Silas smiled.
“Worst?”
“You got seven stubborn women, a burned ranch, federal investigators, and half the territory angry at you.”
“Fair point.”
For a moment they simply stood together.
Then Silas said, “I might rebuild.”
Eda looked toward the foundation.
“How many rooms?”
He glanced at her.
“How many do we need?”
The word we hung between them.
Neither pretended not to hear it.
May you like
Spring arrived three weeks later—and with it came the first wagonload of lumber.
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