Chapter 4 - The Ledger of Dead Men
Jonas moved before the rifle fired.
He grabbed Clara and rolled behind the freight crates.
The bullet struck wood.
Cole fired toward the roof.
The shooter disappeared.
Jonas rose.
"Stay here."
He ran around the depot.
Cole followed.
They found tracks leading toward a waiting horse.
Whoever had fired escaped into the trees.
Edwin remained on the platform.
Jonas seized his coat.
"You knew."
"I saw him."
"Who?"
"I couldn't see his face."
"Convenient."
Edwin shoved Jonas's hands away.
"If I wanted Clara dead, I wouldn't warn you."
That was true.
Jonas hated that it was true.
Clara approached.
"You knew about the payment."
Edwin saw the notebook.
His expression changed.
"Pike's ledger."
"You've seen it."
"Years ago."
Clara slapped him.
Edwin accepted it without moving.
"Did Father take money to keep quiet about Mother's murder?"
"No."
"Then why is his name there?"
Edwin looked at Jonas, Cole, then Clara.
"Because Thomas was trying to prove Evelyn was murdered."
Clara froze.
Edwin explained.
Her father had discovered irregular railroad deeds connected to Caldwell.
Evelyn had threatened to expose them.
Days later, she fell from the balcony.
Thomas accepted Caldwell's payment so Caldwell would believe he had been bought.
Instead, Thomas used the money to hire investigators.
"Why didn't he tell me?"
"Because you were twelve."
"What happened to the investigation?"
"Thomas couldn't prove anything."
"And you?"
"I helped him."
Clara stared at her uncle.
"Why did you control my life?"
Edwin looked ashamed.
"Because Caldwell was watching."
"That's your excuse?"
"I thought if I kept you close, he couldn't reach you."
"You made me a prisoner."
"I kept you alive."
Jonas stepped forward.
"You don't get credit for protecting somebody by taking away their freedom."
Edwin looked at him.
"No. Perhaps I don't."
That admission surprised everyone.
Cole closed the notebook.
"We need evidence Caldwell can't buy away."
Edwin nodded toward Clara's suitcase.
"The hidden account strip is part of it."
"Part?"
"There should be another ledger."
"Where?"
Edwin looked at Clara.
"Your mother hid it."
Clara's face tightened.
"I was twelve."
"She told you something before she died."
Clara shook her head.
"No."
"Think."
Clara turned away.
Jonas watched her struggle.
Then she whispered, "The fire."
"What?"
"She used to tell me a story."
Edwin stepped closer.
"What story?"
"About a girl who hid treasure where winter couldn't extinguish the fire."
Jonas frowned.
"Could mean a fireplace."
Clara looked at him.
"At our old house."
Edwin shook his head.
"Caldwell searched it."
"Maybe not that house."
Clara suddenly looked toward Jonas.
"My mother visited Colorado once."
Edwin went still.
"When?"
"The summer before she died."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
Jonas remembered the account strip.
One land parcel appeared repeatedly.
A mining claim outside Silver Plume.
He retrieved the paper.
Parcel 47-B.
Ezra recognized it.
"That's the abandoned Harcourt mine."
Clara stared.
"My family owned a mine here?"
Edwin nodded slowly.
"Evelyn did."
They left before sunset.
The abandoned mine stood three miles north.
Jonas, Clara, Cole, Edwin, and Ezra entered together.
Inside, they found a collapsed office.
A rusted stove.
A fireplace.
Jonas examined the stones.
One brick moved.
Behind it was a metal box.
Clara's hands shook as she opened it.
Inside lay a ledger wrapped in oilcloth.
And a letter.
To Clara.
She unfolded it.
My darling girl,
If you are reading this, then I failed to return for what I hid.
Clara stopped.
Jonas touched her shoulder.
She continued.
The letter described Caldwell's scheme.
Forged deeds.
Stolen mining claims.
Bribed officials.
Evelyn had discovered everything.
She named witnesses.
She named accounts.
And one final sentence changed Clara's understanding of her family forever.
Edwin knows enough to help you, but trust Thomas above all others.
Clara cried silently.
Her father had not betrayed her mother.
He had protected the truth.
Jonas held her.
For once, she didn't resist.
Then Ezra heard horses.
Many horses.
Outside.
Jonas extinguished the lantern.
Cole drew his gun.
A voice echoed into the mine.
"Hiram Caldwell."
Edwin whispered, "He's here."
Caldwell called into the darkness.
"Mrs. Hargrave, bring me the ledger and everyone walks away."
Jonas looked at Clara.
She held the book against her chest.
"No."
Caldwell laughed.
Then came another sound.
Liquid splashing.
Kerosene.
Jonas smelled it.
Caldwell called again.
"You have sixty seconds."
May you like
A match struck outside.
And fire appeared at the mouth of the mine.
