Chapter 10 - The Night the Mountain Closed In
The storm erased the trail almost as quickly as the horses made it.
Snow struck Martha’s face like sand.
Ethan rode close enough that she could see his outline whenever lightning flickered beyond the peaks.
The marshal and two deputies followed.
Briar Ridge lay six miles north.
They reached the old mining road near midnight.
Fresh wagon tracks cut through the snow.
“They’re hauling something out,” Ethan said.
The marshal nodded.
“Documents?”
“Or silver.”
Martha thought of Price’s records.
“Maybe both.”
They left the horses among the trees and approached on foot.
The mining office showed light beneath one window.
Voices carried through the storm.
Martha recognized Charles Vale immediately.
Charlotte’s father sounded nothing like his daughter.
His voice was sharp.
Panicked.
“You said Price could control this.”
Another man answered.
“Harlan became careless.”
Martha did not recognize him.
The marshal signaled everyone to stop.
They moved closer.
Through a broken shutter, Martha saw three men.
Vale.
A mining investor named Bernard Shaw.
And Sheriff Morrow.
Martha nearly gasped.
“Morrow escaped?” she whispered.
The marshal looked furious.
“He was supposed to be transported this afternoon.”
Inside, Shaw slammed documents into a stove.
“Burn everything.”
Vale grabbed his arm.
“My name is on those contracts.”
“Exactly.”
“And the land?”
Shaw laughed.
“The land is useless now.”
“Because of the Boone woman?”
“Because Price failed to kill Ruth Callaway.”
Martha felt Ethan tense beside her.
Shaw continued.
“We needed Ethan desperate enough to sell.”
Vale paced.
“My daughter almost married him.”
“Almost is worthless.”
Martha understood the entire scheme now.
Beauty had been a tool.
The brides were camouflage.
If Ethan married into one of their families, Callaway Ranch could be influenced from inside.
When that failed, Price intensified Ruth’s poisoning.
Morrow noticed movement outside.
“Someone’s there.”
Everything happened at once.
The marshal kicked in the door.
“Federal marshal! Nobody move!”
Shaw fired.
The bullet struck the wall.
Ethan pulled Martha behind a timber post.
Morrow escaped through the rear.
One deputy followed.
Vale dropped his pistol.
Shaw ran upstairs.
Ethan went after him.
“Ethan!”
Martha followed.
The second floor held old records.
Shaw shoved a cabinet down the stairs.
Ethan jumped aside.
Martha barely avoided it.
“Stay back!”
“Stop saying that!”
Shaw reached the balcony.
Another door opened toward the mountain.
He ran outside.
Ethan followed.
Martha reached the doorway just as the snow beneath Shaw collapsed.
An avalanche began above them.
“Run!”
Ethan grabbed Martha.
The mountain roared.
Snow and rock rushed down the slope.
They dove behind a stone retaining wall.
The world disappeared.
For several seconds there was only white noise and pressure.
Then silence.
Martha opened her eyes.
Darkness.
Snow covered part of the doorway.
“Ethan?”
“Here.”
His arm remained around her.
“You hurt?”
“No.”
“You?”
“No.”
They were trapped inside the upper office.
Below them, people shouted.
The main staircase had collapsed.
Ethan tried the rear door.
Blocked.
Martha laughed weakly.
“What?”
“We escaped a cave through a river and now we’re trapped in a mine office by snow.”
“You find that funny?”
“I’m reconsidering the wisdom of staying near you.”
“You came voluntarily.”
“Repeatedly. That concerns me.”
He smiled.
Then his expression changed.
Martha followed his gaze.
The damaged cabinet had spilled papers across the floor.
One document showed Naomi Boone’s name.
Martha crawled toward it.
A contract.
Dated eight years earlier.
Naomi had refused to sell her future interest in Callaway land to Briar Ridge Mining.
Price had signed as witness.
Another letter followed.
If Boone continues refusing, acquisition cannot proceed.
Martha looked at Ethan.
“They needed my mother gone before Ruth ever became sick.”
Ethan’s face darkened.
Martha kept searching.
She found payments to Price.
One dated days before Naomi’s death.
A large amount.
The purpose line contained only two words.
Consulting services.
Martha closed her eyes.
Proof.
Not perfect.
But enough to connect them.
Ethan sat beside her.
“I’m sorry.”
She pressed the paper to her chest.
“At least now I know.”
“Does knowing help?”
“No.”
He nodded.
That answer seemed to matter.
Martha looked at him.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For not telling me it should.”
The building creaked.
Snow pressure increased outside.
Ethan checked the window.
“We may be here until morning.”
“Wonderful.”
He removed his coat and placed it around her.
“You keep doing that.”
“You keep being cold.”
They sat against the wall.
Hours passed.
Martha’s head eventually rested against his shoulder.
Neither commented.
At some point Ethan said, “I think my mother likes you more than me.”
“She has excellent judgment.”
“Martha.”
“Yes?”
“If we get out of this—”
“Careful. Sentences that begin that way usually end badly.”
He turned toward her.
Firelight from the stove reflected in his eyes.
“I want you to stay at the ranch.”
“Until Ruth recovers?”
“No.”
Martha’s heartbeat changed.
“Then how long?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s not convincing.”
“I’m bad at this.”
“I noticed.”
Ethan looked frustrated.
“I sent six women away because being around them felt like pretending.”
Martha said nothing.
“With you, I don’t have to pretend.”
The room seemed smaller.
“Ethan—”
“I’m not asking anything tonight.”
“Good.”
“But I wanted you to know.”
She looked at him.
“You nearly froze to death before becoming emotionally articulate.”
“Apparently.”
Martha smiled.
Then the wall cracked.
Both jumped.
Snow pushed inward.
“We need out.”
Ethan smashed the upper window.
Cold air blasted inside.
Below, voices shouted.
The marshal had found them.
A rope appeared.
Martha climbed down first.
Ethan followed.
Shaw had been captured half a mile away.
Morrow escaped.
Vale surrendered.
By dawn, Briar Ridge’s surviving records were in federal custody.
When they returned to Ridgewater, dozens of people waited.
News had traveled.
So had rumors.
Mrs. Pritchard rushed toward Martha.
“Is it true?”
Martha blinked.
“Is what true?”
“That you and Ethan Callaway are marrying.”
Martha stared.
Ethan looked at Ruth.
Ruth looked entirely innocent.
“I said no such thing.”
“Ma.”
“I merely told Mrs. Jensen that Martha might soon become family.”
Martha covered her face.
The crowd began congratulating them.
Ethan leaned close.
“We can correct them.”
Martha looked at him.
“Yes.”
Neither spoke.
Ten seconds passed.
Then twenty.
Mrs. Pritchard hugged Martha.
“Finally! A woman he can’t scare off.”
Ethan whispered, “Anytime now.”
Martha whispered back, “You first.”
He smiled.
“You first.”
They never corrected anybody.
By sunset, every person in Ridgewater believed the impossible rancher had chosen the buffalo girl.
And somewhere beyond town, Sheriff Morrow heard the same rumor.
He also heard Martha Boone now possessed the evidence that could send him to prison for life.
May you like
So while Ridgewater celebrated a wedding that had not yet been proposed, Morrow began planning one final visit to Callaway Ranch.
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