Chapter 5 - The Night at the Mission
The old mission became a fortress because it had to.
Elias barred the door.
Rourke's men covered two windows.
The older couple sheltered with Nara behind a stone partition.
Aayoka loaded cartridges.
Elias looked at her.
“You know how?”
She gave him a flat stare.
He decided the question had been foolish.
Outside, a voice called.
“Ward!”
Elias recognized Sheriff Bell.
“Send out the ledger.”
Nobody moved.
Bell continued.
“This doesn't concern the women.”
Elias glanced toward Aayoka.
She whispered, “He lies badly.”
“Yes.”
Bell offered immunity.
Money.
Safe passage.
Elias almost admired the variety.
Finally he shouted, “You killed my family?”
Silence.
Then Bell answered.
“Your father made choices.”
Elias felt something cold settle inside him.
“That isn't an answer.”
“It's the only one you're getting.”
The standoff lasted hours.
Bell's men could not easily approach the stone building.
Elias's group could not escape.
Near dawn, Nara noticed an old drainage passage behind the mission.
It was narrow.
But passable.
They formed another plan.
The women and older couple would escape through it carrying the ledger.
Elias and the others would remain behind.
Aayoka refused.
“You're coming.”
“Not yet.”
“You intend to stay and draw their attention.”
“Yes.”
“That is not courage.”
Elias looked at her.
“What is it?”
“Your old habit.”
The words struck hard.
“You think dying is different from leaving because it looks heroic.”
He stared at her.
She stepped closer.
“We need you alive, Elias.”
Nobody had said that to him in twelve years.
Not like that.
He swallowed.
“I'll follow.”
“Promise.”
“Aayoka—”
“Promise.”
He looked into her eyes.
“I promise.”
She disappeared into the passage.
Thirty minutes later, Elias and Rourke's men created enough noise to convince Bell everyone remained inside.
Then they escaped through the same tunnel.
By sunrise, Bell discovered the empty mission.
By then, Elias's group was miles south.
They reached Tucson two days later.
Henry Caldwell received them privately.
The land agent was old, cautious, and visibly shaken when he saw Daniel Ward's name.
“I told your father I'd protect these records.”
“You didn't.”
Caldwell lowered his eyes.
“No.”
Elias waited.
“I was afraid.”
Another coward.
Another man who had survived while the Ward family burned.
Elias wanted to hate him.
But hatred had occupied enough years.
“Can you help now?”
Caldwell looked up.
“Yes.”
Copies were made.
Statements recorded.
Telegrams sent.
A federal marshal was contacted.
For the first time, Bell could not simply destroy one piece of evidence.
There were too many copies.
Too many witnesses.
Too many officials aware.
The trap around him began closing.
But Bell was not finished.
That evening Elias returned to the boarding house.
Nara stood in the hallway.
Her face was pale.
“Elias.”
He knew immediately.
“What happened?”
“Aayoka is gone.”
His blood turned cold.
“Gone where?”
“We found this.”
She handed him a folded note.
Three words were written inside.
BRING THE ORIGINAL.
Elias looked up.
“Where?”
Nara's voice trembled.
“The Ward ranch.”
His childhood home.
The place where his family had died.
Bell was waiting among the ashes of Elias's past.
May you like
And he had Aayoka.
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