Chapter 4 - The Betrayal Inside Thorne Ranch
The name was Amos Vale.
Garrett’s foreman.
For eleven years, Amos had managed cattle shipments, hired ranch hands, negotiated feed purchases, and carried Garrett’s trust as though it were another key on his belt.
Sarah stared at the ledger.
“You're certain?”
“No.”
Garrett closed it.
“And until I am, nobody hears this.”
Not even Amos.
Especially not Amos.
Garrett returned Mercer’s notebook the next morning, claiming Penny had found it unopened.
Mercer studied him suspiciously.
Garrett met his gaze without blinking.
The game had begun.
Over the following week, Garrett quietly checked ranch accounts.
Numbers didn't match.
Cattle had disappeared on paper.
Feed invoices had been inflated.
Payments had been routed through businesses Mercer controlled.
The theft had been occurring for years.
Sarah helped at night.
She had promised Garrett she could keep accounts.
Now she proved it.
“You found this?”
Garrett stared at columns she had copied.
“Three shipments were recorded twice.”
Garrett leaned over her shoulder.
They were close enough that Sarah felt his breath.
Neither moved for a second.
Then Penny appeared beneath the table.
“You like Mama?”
Sarah nearly dropped her pencil.
Garrett straightened.
“Why are you under there?”
“You didn't answer.”
“Go to bed.”
“That's not an answer.”
Sarah pointed toward the hallway.
“Bed.”
Penny climbed out.
At the doorway she turned.
“I think he likes you.”
“Penny!”
She disappeared.
Garrett looked at Sarah.
Sarah became extremely interested in the ledger.
“I apologize.”
“Your daughter possesses an alarming inability to fear consequences.”
“She gets that from Thomas.”
Garrett smiled faintly.
“Are you certain?”
Their eyes met.
This time neither looked away quickly.
Something had changed between them.
But danger moved faster.
Two nights later, the barn caught fire.
Sarah woke to bells.
She ran outside.
Flames tore through the roof.
Men formed a bucket line.
Garrett charged toward the stable.
“Penny!” Sarah screamed.
Her bed had been empty.
Garrett stopped.
Sarah’s blood turned cold.
Then they heard a child screaming from inside the barn.
Garrett ran into the flames.
Sarah tried following.
Two ranch hands held her back.
Seconds became eternity.
Then Garrett emerged through smoke carrying Penny beneath one arm.
She was coughing.
In her hands was a tiny kitten.
Sarah collapsed against them.
Garrett held both mother and daughter.
For one unguarded moment, his terror was visible.
“You never,” he told Penny hoarsely, “ever run into a burning building.”
“The kitty—”
“I don't care if every cat in Wyoming is inside!”
Penny began crying.
Garrett immediately softened.
He pulled her against his chest.
“I thought…”
He couldn't finish.
Sarah knew what he had thought.
Jonathan.
Another child disappearing.
Another death Garrett couldn't stop.
Penny wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I’m okay.”
Garrett shut his eyes.
Across the yard, Amos Vale watched.
And Sarah saw something in his face.
Not relief.
Fear.
The fire had not been an accident.
Someone had wanted evidence inside the barn destroyed.
Garrett knew it too.
By morning, Amos was gone.
So were two horses.
And several pages from the ranch accounts.
But he left behind something far more dangerous.
A message nailed to Garrett’s study door.
STOP DIGGING, THORNE.
NEXT TIME, THE CHILD WON’T WALK OUT.
Garrett ripped it down before Penny could see.
Sarah did.
Her face turned white.
“We’re leaving.”
Garrett stared at her.
“No.”
“You don't decide.”
“They threatened Penny because of me.”
“They threatened Penny because criminals are frightened.”
“I won't gamble with her life.”
Sarah rushed upstairs.
Garrett followed.
She began packing.
“Sarah.”
“No.”
“Listen.”
“I buried a husband. I will not bury my daughter.”
Garrett stopped.
The sentence hit him harder than she intended.
Sarah’s hands shook.
“I’m sorry.”
“No.”
Garrett’s voice softened.
“You're right.”
She looked at him.
“I know exactly what you're afraid of.”
He looked toward Penny’s room.
“I've lived inside that fear for four years.”
Sarah’s anger disappeared.
Garrett stepped closer.
“But running won't end it. Mercer knows where your cabin is. Amos knows Laramie. Here, I can protect you.”
Sarah stared at him.
“Why?”
Garrett hesitated.
The answer frightened him more than armed men.
“Because this house became alive again when you walked into it.”
Sarah stopped breathing.
“And because that infuriating little girl…”
He swallowed.
“…matters to me.”
Before Sarah could answer, hoofbeats thundered outside.
A ranch hand burst through the door.
“Mr. Thorne!”
Garrett turned.
“What?”
“We found Amos’s horse.”
“Where?”
“North creek.”
“And Amos?”
The ranch hand’s face darkened.
“No sign of him.”
Then he handed Garrett something found inside the saddlebag.
A telegram.
It had been sent to Silas Mercer.
Only four words were written beneath the address.
May you like
THORNE KNOWS. TAKE GIRL.
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