Chapter 6 - Aayoka’s Missing People
The jail cell smelled exactly as Elias remembered.
Iron.
Dust.
Sweat.
Old tobacco.
Seven years earlier he had stood on the other side of those bars.
He had carried keys then.
Now Sheriff Colton locked him inside.
“You know Rourke isn't dead,” Elias said.
Colton avoided his eyes.
“We found blood in his hotel room.”
“A body?”
“No.”
“Then you've arrested me for murdering a man without a body.”
“Witness says you threatened him.”
“Half this territory has threatened him.”
Colton left.
Elias sat on the bunk.
Rourke's strategy was becoming clear.
He did not need Elias convicted.
He only needed him contained.
Outside, Aayoka faced a different problem.
Judge Bell had hidden Tala and Keme in the church basement.
Jeb guarded them.
But Aayoka refused to hide.
She had spent too much of her life hiding.
She returned to the street where Elias had been arrested.
People stared.
Some whispered.
She ignored them.
Judge Bell found her there.
“You can't help him by getting yourself arrested.”
Aayoka understood enough.
“Rourke alive.”
“Yes.”
“Find.”
Bell studied her.
“That may be exactly what he wants you to do.”
Aayoka looked toward the jail.
Then toward the hills.
She thought of bread on a stone.
Elias had helped her when doing so offered him nothing.
Now he was behind bars because he had continued helping.
She would not leave him there.
Keme knew something useful.
During his captivity, he had heard Rourke's men mention an old mine north of town.
Jeb knew it.
Silver mine.
Abandoned ten years earlier.
They waited until dark.
Aayoka, Jeb and Keme rode north.
Bell remained with Tala.
The mine entrance was hidden among boulders.
Two horses stood outside.
Aayoka recognized one.
Rourke's.
They approached on foot.
Voices came from inside.
Rourke was very much alive.
“You should've killed Ward in the desert,” another man said.
“No,” Rourke answered. “A dead Ward becomes a question. A jailed Ward becomes an answer.”
“And the woman?”
“She'll come.”
Aayoka's hand tightened.
Rourke continued.
“People like her always think family makes them strong. Usually it just gives you something to threaten.”
Keme started forward.
Aayoka stopped him.
They needed proof.
Jeb pointed toward a crate.
Army markings.
Rifles.
Dozens.
Enough to support the ledger.
Keme slipped inside through a side opening.
Minutes later he returned carrying shipping papers.
Jeb grinned.
“That's enough to bury him.”
Then a revolver clicked behind them.
Billy Crane.
The supposedly murdered man.
“Drop it.”
Jeb slowly raised his hands.
Aayoka looked toward the mine.
Rourke emerged.
He smiled when he saw her.
“I knew you'd come.”
Aayoka said nothing.
“You caused considerable trouble.”
“Truth cause trouble,” she answered.
Rourke's smile faded.
“You've been spending too much time with Ward.”
He stepped closer.
“Where's the ledger?”
Aayoka smiled.
For the first time, she realized fear could travel in both directions.
“You don't know?”
Rourke stopped.
That was the answer she needed.
He did not know Judge Bell had it.
He was guessing.
Aayoka laughed softly.
Rourke's face darkened.
Then Keme threw a handful of mine dust into Billy's eyes.
Jeb lunged.
Chaos erupted.
Aayoka ran.
A gun fired.
She heard Keme shout.
But when she turned, her brother was running behind her.
They reached the horses.
Jeb followed.
Rourke fired again.
The bullet struck Jeb's saddle.
They escaped into darkness.
By sunrise, Judge Bell had the shipping papers.
He also had something better.
Billy Crane had followed them into town.
Rourke needed the papers recovered.
Instead, Billy rode directly past two deputies.
A supposedly murdered man had returned from the dead in front of witnesses.
Sheriff Colton had no choice.
Elias was released.
He stepped from the jail.
Aayoka stood across the street.
For a moment neither moved.
Then Elias walked toward her.
“You went after Rourke?”
“Yes.”
“That was reckless.”
“You go sandstorm for me.”
“That was different.”
“Why?”
Elias opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Aayoka almost smiled.
Then church bells began ringing.
Not for worship.
Alarm.
Smoke rose from the southern edge of town.
Someone shouted.
“Fire!”
Elias turned.
The church.
Tala.
They ran.
By the time they reached it, flames had consumed the rear wall.
Keme screamed Tala's name.
Jeb restrained him.
Elias rushed toward the door.
Then Aayoka saw a wagon disappearing down an alley.
Inside it sat Tala.
Alive.
Two armed men beside her.
“Elias!”
He followed Aayoka's pointing hand.
Rourke had created the fire as a diversion.
He had Tala again.
But this time he was not taking her into the desert to question her.
A note nailed to the church door made that clear.
Judge Bell pulled it free.
Ward—
Bring the ledger to Red Mesa Canyon tomorrow at sunset.
Come alone.
Or the old woman dies.
Elias read it once.
Then handed it to Aayoka.
She looked at him.
“No.”
“I haven't said anything.”
“You go alone.”
Elias looked toward the disappearing smoke.
“Yes.”
Aayoka shook her head.
“No more.”
“No more what?”
She stepped closer.
“No more one person decide who sacrifice.”
Elias stared at her.
Around them, townspeople fought the church fire.
Keme stood crying silently.
Judge Bell held the ledger.
And for the first time, Elias understood what Aayoka was saying.
This was not his redemption.
It was not her rescue.
It was not Samuel's revenge.
Rourke had hurt all of them by isolating them, frightening them, and convincing each person that survival meant standing alone.
If they were going to defeat him, they would have to do the one thing Rourke never expected.
Trust one another.
May you like
But none of them knew that Red Mesa Canyon had already been prepared for their arrival.
And Silas Rourke was waiting there with twelve armed men.
