Chapter 5 - The Arrest
Martha stepped between Caleb and the marshal.
“You’re wrong.”
Marshal Briggs dismounted.
“I hope so.”
Silas recovered his smile.
“Marshal, I can explain everything.”
“I imagine you can.”
Briggs took the iron box from Silas.
Silas protested.
“That’s mine.”
Martha said, “No. It belongs to me.”
Briggs opened Samuel’s letter.
Caleb stood quietly.
“You knew?” Martha asked.
“No.”
Briggs read aloud.
Nathaniel—
If I die before I can settle what happened to Elias Ward, find Caleb Mercer.
He is the only living man who knows the entire truth.
Do not trust what he tells you until you see Ward’s journal.
Martha looked at Caleb.
The letter did not say arrest him.
“Why did you say Samuel wanted him arrested?”
Briggs almost smiled.
“I didn’t. I said Samuel told me to arrest the man standing beside you.”
He turned.
And pointed at Silas.
Silas drew.
Caleb moved first.
He struck Martha down behind the trough as gunfire exploded.
Marshal Briggs fired.
Silas’s men scattered.
One surrendered.
Another ran.
Silas mounted his horse and fled toward the hills.
“After him!” Briggs shouted.
Three deputies pursued.
Caleb started after them.
Martha grabbed his sleeve.
“No.”
“He’ll escape.”
“You promised Samuel to protect me.”
Caleb stopped.
She held his gaze.
“Then protect me.”
He stayed.
Silas escaped.
That fact poisoned what should have been victory.
But Briggs had the journal.
By afternoon, he understood enough.
Elias Ward had documented years of fraud.
Samuel’s testimony, written before his death, connected Silas to Ward’s disappearance.
Yet murder remained harder to prove.
“We need Ward’s body,” Briggs said.
Caleb knew where to look.
Years earlier, Silas had returned alone from a canyon near Medicine Bow.
Caleb and Samuel had suspected what happened but had been afraid.
Martha looked at him.
“You were afraid?”
“Yes.”
It was the first time Caleb had admitted it.
“I was twenty-four. Silas had six men. Samuel and I had nothing.”
“You ran.”
“Yes.”
“Samuel spent the rest of his life regretting that?”
“Every day.”
Martha understood now why Samuel had become so gentle.
He had not been born peaceful.
He had chosen peace after learning what violence cost.
That night, Martha and Caleb sat outside the cabin.
“You could leave,” she said.
“So could you.”
“This is my land.”
“And Samuel was my friend.”
“That isn’t the only reason you stayed.”
Caleb looked at her.
For a moment neither spoke.
Something had been growing between them.
Neither had named it.
Martha was still Samuel’s widow.
She still wore his ring.
And Caleb had loved Samuel like a brother.
Whatever existed between them felt impossible.
Perhaps that was why it felt so powerful.
“I’m carrying his child,” Martha whispered.
“I know.”
“I still love him.”
“I know.”
Caleb looked toward the stars.
“I’m not asking you not to.”
Her eyes filled.
“Then what are you asking?”
“Nothing.”
That hurt more than she expected.
The next morning, Briggs prepared to search for Ward’s remains.
Martha insisted on accompanying them.
Caleb refused.
Briggs sided with Martha.
“It’s her case.”
Caleb muttered something impolite.
They rode slowly because of Martha’s pregnancy.
By afternoon they reached a narrow canyon.
Caleb found the old campsite.
Then a collapsed mine entrance.
Inside, beneath stones, they discovered bones.
A skull.
A rusted belt buckle marked E.W.
And a bullet lodged in the stone behind the remains.
Briggs examined it.
“Enough to establish violence. Not enough to establish shooter.”
Caleb searched farther.
Then found a revolver wrapped in oilcloth.
Initials were engraved into the grip.
S.H.
Silas Hale.
Martha closed her eyes.
Justice suddenly seemed possible.
They returned to the ranch.
But Silas was waiting.
Smoke rose before they reached the valley.
Martha’s cabin was burning.
Her wagon was gone.
The barn stood open.
And tied to the cottonwood was one of Briggs’s deputies.
Alive.
Barely.
Briggs cut him down.
“Where is Silas?”
The deputy coughed.
“He took the woman’s papers.”
“The journal?”
“No.”
He looked at Martha.
“Something from inside her cedar box.”
Martha ran toward the cabin.
Caleb caught her before she reached the flames.
“My letters!”
“Martha!”
“Samuel’s letters!”
The roof collapsed.
She screamed.
Caleb held her while sparks rose into the darkening sky.
Then Briggs noticed something nailed to the cottonwood.
A note.
He removed it.
Martha read.
COME TO FORT LARAMIE ALONE.
I HAVE SOMETHING SAMUEL NEVER WANTED YOU TO SEE.
Beneath the words was a small object.
Samuel’s wedding ring.
May you like
Martha stared at it.
She had buried Samuel wearing that ring.
