Chapter 4 - A Secret Beneath Her Heart
Elias did not confront Crowe in the street.
Four years earlier, he would have.
Four years earlier, anger had been faster than judgment.
Samuel's death had changed that.
Instead, Elias looked at Crowe for several seconds, memorizing the satisfaction in the older man's expression.
Then he walked away.
Crowe called after him.
“Aren't you curious?”
Elias stopped but did not turn.
“About what?”
“Why the boy matters.”
Elias slowly faced him.
“He's a week-old baby.”
“Maybe.”
Elias's eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?”
Crowe smiled.
“Ask the mother.”
Then he entered the saloon.
Elias stood motionless.
Bramble nudged his shoulder.
“Yeah,” Elias whispered. “I don't like him either.”
He crossed the creek.
Every step toward Aayoka's cabin became harder.
He had imagined this return countless times.
In none of those imaginings had there been a child.
He reached the cottonwoods.
Smoke rose from the chimney.
His heart hammered.
Elias knocked.
Nothing.
He knocked again.
Footsteps.
The door opened.
Aayoka stood before him.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
She looked thinner than he remembered.
Tired.
Beautiful.
Her dark hair was loosely braided, and there were shadows beneath her eyes.
Elias removed his hat.
“Aayoka.”
Her expression revealed nothing.
“Elias.”
Then a baby cried inside.
Elias closed his eyes briefly.
The sound confirmed everything he had been trying not to assume.
Aayoka did not invite him inside.
He swallowed.
“I heard.”
“Silver Creek is efficient.”
“Is he mine?”
A flash of anger crossed her face.
“Is that your first question?”
Elias immediately regretted it.
“No.”
“It sounded like one.”
“I don't know what to say.”
“You had nine months.”
“I didn't know.”
“You knew where I lived.”
That struck cleanly.
Elias lowered his gaze.
“You're right.”
Aayoka had expected excuses.
She was almost disappointed by the absence of them.
“You left without saying goodbye.”
“I know.”
“You woke beside me and decided disappearing was easier than speaking.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
The baby cried again.
Aayoka looked back.
Instinct overcame anger.
She stepped inside.
Elias remained outside.
After several seconds, she said without turning, “Close the door. You're letting the cold in.”
Elias entered.
Then he saw Micah.
The child lay in a small cradle near the fire.
Elias approached slowly.
His entire face changed.
Aayoka watched him.
The hard frontier man disappeared.
In his place stood someone almost frightened to breathe.
Micah opened his eyes.
Elias stared.
“My God.”
Aayoka's defenses rose.
“What?”
Elias crouched beside the cradle.
“He looks like Samuel.”
So Ruth had been right.
“You see it too?”
Elias turned sharply.
“Who else said that?”
“Ruth.”
He looked back at Micah.
“My brother had that mark.”
“The ear.”
Elias nodded.
He reached toward the child, then stopped.
“May I?”
The question surprised Aayoka.
She nodded.
Elias touched one tiny hand.
Micah's fingers closed around his.
Elias froze.
His eyes filled before he could hide it.
Aayoka looked away, giving him privacy he had not earned.
“He's strong,” Elias whispered.
“So everyone keeps saying.”
“What's his name?”
“Micah.”
“Micah.”
Elias repeated it as if committing it to memory.
Then he looked at Aayoka.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Her eyes hardened.
“Where?”
“My cabin.”
“You wanted me to ride twenty miles pregnant through mountain country to tell a man who left without a word that his actions had consequences?”
Elias winced.
“No.”
“I considered it.”
He looked surprised.
“I almost went.”
“What stopped you?”
“You.”
Elias said nothing.
“You chose fear, Elias. I chose not to chase it.”
He stood slowly.
“I was wrong.”
“Yes.”
“I can't change what I did.”
“No.”
“But I can change what I do next.”
Aayoka studied him.
Those words were dangerous.
Promises were easiest before they cost anything.
“What do you want?”
“To help.”
“With what?”
“Everything.”
“No.”
The answer surprised him.
“Aayoka—”
“You do not walk into this cabin after nine months and become his father because guilt suddenly became uncomfortable.”
Elias absorbed the blow.
“What do I do?”
“Show me.”
“How?”
“Figure it out.”
Micah began fussing.
Elias looked toward him.
Aayoka lifted the baby.
He settled against her chest.
Elias watched.
Then he remembered Crowe.
His expression changed.
“Harlan Crowe approached you?”
Aayoka became still.
“How do you know?”
“He congratulated me.”
“He spoke to me two days ago.”
“What did he say?”
“He knew you were the father.”
Elias paced once toward the window.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“You know him.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Elias hesitated.
“Crowe controlled grazing land near our old ranch. Samuel believed Crowe was buying stolen cattle.”
Aayoka's eyes narrowed.
“The rustlers.”
“Maybe.”
“You think Crowe had something to do with Samuel's death?”
“I never proved it.”
“And now he's interested in Micah.”
“Yes.”
Aayoka held her son tighter.
Elias noticed.
“Has anyone else come here?”
“No.”
“Anyone watching?”
“I don't know.”
He moved toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To talk to Crowe.”
“No.”
Elias turned.
“He threatened you.”
“He asked questions.”
“That's how Crowe threatens people.”
“And confronting him accomplishes what?”
Elias had no immediate answer.
Aayoka stepped closer.
“You don't get to arrive and turn my home into another battlefield.”
“He may be dangerous.”
“So are frightened men carrying weapons.”
Elias looked at the revolver on his hip.
Then back at her.
The criticism was deserved.
“What do you suggest?”
“Find out why he cares.”
Elias nodded.
“I can do that.”
He put on his hat.
Aayoka frowned.
“You're leaving?”
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Both heard what lay beneath them.
Again?
Elias slowly removed his hat.
“No.”
Aayoka looked at him.
“I'll sleep outside if that's what you want.”
“It is freezing.”
“Stable.”
“I don't have one.”
“Porch.”
“You'll freeze.”
“Probably.”
Despite everything, the corner of Aayoka's mouth moved.
Elias saw it.
For one second, the old connection returned.
Then someone knocked.
Three hard strikes.
Elias immediately stepped between the door and Aayoka.
She noticed.
“Who is it?” she called.
“Ruth.”
Aayoka relaxed.
Elias opened the door.
Ruth Teague stared at him.
“Well.”
“Ruth.”
She stepped inside.
“Took you long enough.”
Elias frowned.
“You knew?”
“I know everything eventually.”
She handed Aayoka a bundle of cloth.
Then she looked at Elias.
“You see Samuel?”
“Yes.”
Ruth's expression became serious.
“Then we need to talk.”
“About what?”
“The night Samuel died.”
Silence filled the cabin.
Elias's face changed.
“What do you know?”
Ruth looked toward Aayoka and Micah.
“Something I should've told you four years ago.”
Elias took one step toward her.
“What?”
Ruth reached into her medical bag.
She removed a small leather pouch.
“I found this sewn inside Samuel's coat when they brought his body to me.”
Elias stared.
“Why did you have his coat?”
“The undertaker needed help cleaning him.”
Ruth placed the pouch on the table.
“I was afraid.”
“Of who?”
She looked directly at him.
“Harlan Crowe.”
Elias opened the pouch.
Inside was a folded piece of paper, brittle with age.
He unfolded it.
Numbers.
Brands.
Dates.
Payments.
And beneath them, several names.
One belonged to the sheriff who had ruled Samuel's death an accident.
Another belonged to Harlan Crowe.
Elias's hand trembled.
Aayoka looked over his shoulder.
“What is it?”
Elias stared at the evidence his brother had died carrying.
“Proof.”
“Of what?”
He raised his eyes.
“That Samuel wasn't killed by random rustlers.”
Outside, a horse moved through the darkness.
Everyone inside the cabin heard it.
Elias extinguished the lamp.
Aayoka held Micah close.
Ruth whispered, “Were you followed?”
Elias moved toward the window.
A rider stood among the cottonwoods.
Watching the cabin.
Then the rider turned and disappeared toward Silver Creek.
Elias looked down at Samuel's hidden ledger.
Crowe knew about Micah.
Crowe knew Elias had returned.
And now, after four years of silence, the secret Samuel Ward died protecting had resurfaced inside the home of the woman and child Elias had already abandoned once.
This time, he knew exactly what he would not do.
May you like
He would not run.
---
