Chapter 6 - The Husband Who Came Back
Chaos erupted.
Thomas fired again.
Silas moved.
He knocked the nearest gunman aside and pulled Cora behind the barn.
Eli grabbed a rifle from inside.
Shots echoed through the valley.
Silas avoided unnecessary killing. He fired into the snow beside horses, scattering them and breaking the attackers' formation.
Thomas descended from the ridge.
Within minutes, Vale's men retreated.
Then Cora stood face-to-face with the husband she had mourned.
Thomas Whitfield looked ten years older than when he left.
His cheek was bruised.
One arm rested in a sling.
He stared at the bundle in Cora's arms.
“Is that…”
“Your daughter.”
Thomas's face collapsed.
Cora handed Hope to Silas.
Then slapped her husband.
The sound echoed across the yard.
Thomas accepted it.
“You left me.”
“I know.”
“Three days.”
“I tried—”
“You lied to me for months.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You nearly buried me with your protection.”
Thomas lowered his head.
Silas carried Hope inside.
This conversation belonged to them.
Hours later, Thomas told everything.
He had originally worked for Vale.
Not innocently.
He had altered land records.
Delivered bribes.
Hidden money.
The six hundred dollars in the ledger had been payment.
“I thought nobody got hurt.”
Cora stared at him.
“Did they?”
“Yes.”
Thomas discovered that Vale had arranged the death of a rancher who refused to sell.
That changed him.
He began copying records.
When Vale became suspicious, Thomas stole the original ledger.
“You should have told me.”
“I was ashamed.”
“That isn't protection.”
“I know.”
Cora looked at Hope.
“I don't know if I can forgive you.”
Thomas's eyes filled with tears.
“I don't expect you to.”
“But you are her father.”
“Yes.”
“And if we survive this, you will spend the rest of your life earning whatever comes next.”
Thomas nodded.
Silas watched from the doorway.
Something unexpected twisted inside him.
Relief that Thomas was alive.
And disappointment.
He hated himself for the second feeling.
Cora belonged with her husband.
Silas had known her only days.
Still, when she looked at Thomas, Silas felt the old emptiness inside his chest reopen.
That evening, Thomas approached him.
“You delivered my daughter.”
“Cora did most of the work.”
“You saved my family.”
Silas looked toward the fire.
“Don't waste it.”
Thomas understood.
“I won't.”
They planned to reach Helena.
Thomas knew Vale would expect the main road.
So they chose the mountains.
Six people now traveled together: Silas, Cora, Hope, Thomas, Eli, and an old mare from the hidden barn.
They left before sunrise.
For two days, they crossed frozen wilderness.
Cora rode while Silas often carried Hope beneath his coat.
Thomas noticed how easily his daughter settled against the mountain man.
He said nothing.
On the third afternoon, they reached a ridge overlooking the Helena road.
Smoke rose in the distance.
Too much smoke.
Silas narrowed his eyes.
“That's not a chimney.”
They descended.
A stagecoach lay overturned beside the road.
Two horses were dead.
The coach burned.
A wounded man crawled from behind a rock.
Thomas recognized him.
“Marshal Cole!”
They rushed forward.
Nathan Cole had been shot.
Silas knelt beside him.
“Vale?”
Cole nodded.
“They knew you were coming.”
Thomas's face hardened.
“How?”
Cole looked directly at Eli.
Everyone turned.
Eli went pale.
“No.”
Cole raised one shaking hand.
“Someone… with you…”
Then he lost consciousness.
Silence.
Cora looked from Thomas to Eli to Silas.
Someone had betrayed them.
May you like
And until they discovered who, every mile toward Helena could lead them directly into Gideon Vale's hands.
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