Chapter 15 - The Man Who Smiled Too Soon
Silas Crowe spent one night in custody.
By noon the next day, his attorney had arranged his release pending formal charges.
Ethan was furious.
Marshal Beckett was not surprised.
“Money buys delays,” he said. “Not necessarily endings.”
Silas returned to Blackridge.
Voss remained under guard.
The investigation expanded.
Old mining records were seized.
Employees questioned.
The sheriff disappeared before investigators could interview him.
That helped Silas less than he probably imagined.
Ruth improved each day.
She ate at the dining table.
Then walked from bedroom to hallway.
Then, with Martha and Ethan beside her, reached the staircase.
“You’re not going down alone,” Ethan said.
“I gave birth to you.”
“That doesn’t make you immortal.”
“It should.”
Martha laughed.
Ruth liked making her laugh.
She liked something else too.
Watching Ethan watch Martha.
One afternoon, Ruth found Martha preparing vegetables in the kitchen.
“My son loves you.”
Martha nearly dropped an onion.
“He barely knows me.”
“Men have married women they knew less.”
“That isn’t encouraging.”
Ruth smiled.
“You love him too.”
Martha became intensely interested in peeling carrots.
“I’m here to help you recover.”
“Martha.”
“Ruth.”
The elderly woman laughed.
“You’re both hopeless.”
Before Martha could answer, Ethan entered.
“What’s hopeless?”
“Nothing,” Martha said.
“You,” Ruth said simultaneously.
Ethan stared.
“I regret asking.”
For the first time the lodge felt alive again.
And that was precisely why the next news struck so hard.
Marshal Beckett arrived at sunset.
Voss had disappeared.
The ranch hand guarding him had been found unconscious.
No serious injury.
A window stood open.
Ethan checked immediately.
“Silas.”
“Likely,” Beckett said.
“Where would they go?”
“Blackridge station.”
A train left west at midnight.
If Silas and Voss boarded it, the investigation became much harder.
Ethan saddled horses.
Beckett and his deputies joined him.
Martha wanted to go.
Ethan refused.
For once she accepted.
Ruth needed someone.
Before he left, Ethan stood in the kitchen.
“If I don’t—”
“Don’t.”
“Martha.”
“Don’t say dramatic things before riding into snow.”
He smiled.
“I was going to say if I don’t return before morning, keep the fire going.”
“Oh.”
“What did you think?”
“Nothing.”
“Liar.”
She looked up.
He bent and kissed her forehead.
Not her mouth.
Somehow that was worse.
“Lock the door.”
Then he left.
Hours passed.
Ruth slept near the fireplace.
Martha checked the windows repeatedly.
At eleven thirty someone knocked.
Not three ominous knocks.
One.
Then two.
Martha did not open.
“Who?”
“Edith.”
Mrs. Pierce’s voice.
Martha unlocked the door.
Edith entered crying.
“Jacob.”
“What happened?”
“My boy sent a message.”
She held out paper.
Jacob Pierce worked inside Blackridge mine.
According to the note, Silas was not heading toward the station.
He was going to the old north shaft.
Why?
Martha read again.
Mr. Crowe ordered men to burn the archive room. Doctor with him.
Records.
Silas planned to destroy decades of Blackridge evidence before fleeing.
Ethan had gone the wrong direction.
Martha woke Ruth.
“I need to send someone.”
Ruth looked at the note.
“Go.”
“You need me.”
“I need the truth finished.”
Martha hesitated.
Ruth took her hand.
“You crossed mountains for me.”
“Yes.”
“I am strong enough to give you a few hours.”
Martha sent Caleb toward Ethan.
She rode with Edith toward Blackridge.
The mule experience had apparently not cured her of foolish decisions.
Smoke already rose above the old mine when they arrived.
Workers gathered outside.
Jacob Pierce ran toward his mother.
Inside the archive office, flames spread along one wall.
Men carried boxes out.
Martha spotted Silas.
He was standing safely away from the fire.
Smiling.
Too calmly.
“Where is Voss?” Martha demanded.
Silas looked at her.
“You again.”
“Where?”
“Gone.”
“Lie.”
Silas shrugged.
“Perhaps.”
A muffled crash came from inside the archive room.
Someone shouted.
“Man trapped!”
Martha ran before thinking.
Silas grabbed her arm.
“Let him burn.”
She stared.
Voss.
He had locked Voss inside.
Silas had planned to remove the final witness.
Martha pulled away.
Workers broke the door.
Smoke poured out.
They dragged Dr. Voss outside coughing but alive.
And behind them one worker carried a metal records box untouched by flames.
Jacob smiled through soot.
“Found the company books.”
Silas stopped smiling.
Inside those books were twenty-five years of payments, private correspondence, illegal surveys, and one notation from the week Thomas Callaway died.
Settlement with L.V. completed. T.C. matter resolved.
Voss stared at it.
Then at Silas.
“It’s over.”
Silas looked around.
Workers.
Witnesses.
Documents.
His company collapsing around him.
Then hoofbeats thundered into the yard.
Ethan arrived with Beckett.
His eyes found Martha immediately.
Fear became anger became relief.
He dismounted.
“You were supposed to stay home.”
Martha smiled.
“You should know better by now.”
He crossed the distance between them.
And this time he didn’t kiss her forehead.
He kissed her.
Briefly.
Fiercely.
In front of half of Blackridge.
Then pulled away.
Martha stared.
“So…”
Ethan looked slightly embarrassed.
“That happened.”
“Yes.”
“We’ll discuss it later.”
“We certainly will.”
Behind them Ruth Callaway’s enemies were finally losing their hold over the mountain.
But back at the ranch, Ruth herself had awakened alone.
May you like
And lying on her bedside table was a letter no one remembered bringing into the house.
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