Chapter 5 - The Price of a Child
Mara stepped onto the porch and screamed:
“Take the gun away from him!”
Judge Hollister held Eli while Nathan stood beside him with his hands tied.
Around the judge’s neck hung Clara’s silver locket.
A fresh smear of blood crossed its back.
Beneath it, someone had carved:
“RUN.”
Mara did the opposite.
She walked toward Hollister.
Silas caught her arm.
“Not another step.”
Hollister smiled.
“Listen to your husband.”
“Not my husband yet.”
“Technicality.”
Mara’s eyes stayed on Eli.
The baby cried.
Every sound tore through her.
“What do you want?”
“The ledger.”
Silas answered.
“No.”
Hollister pressed the gun closer to Eli.
Mara turned on Silas.
“Give it to him.”
“No.”
“Silas.”
“He gets that ledger, every child disappears.”
“I don’t care!”
“Yes, you do.”
“He has Eli!”
“I know.”
“Then give it to him!”
Silas looked at her.
Trust me.
He did not say it.
He did not need to.
Mara forced herself to breathe.
Then she saw Lucifer behind the fence.
The stallion paced.
Agitated.
A rope connected the gate.
Mara understood.
Silas lifted the ledger.
“You want it?”
Hollister smiled.
“Bring it.”
Silas walked forward.
Mara moved sideways.
One step.
Two.
Nobody noticed.
Hollister extended his hand.
Silas stopped ten feet away.
“Eli first.”
“You think you’re negotiating?”
“I think if you shoot that baby, Mara will kill you before your men can blink.”
Hollister glanced at her.
Mara smiled.
It was not friendly.
“She might.”
That distraction was enough.
Mara cut the gate rope.
Lucifer exploded from the enclosure.
Men shouted.
Horses reared.
Silas threw the ledger toward Mara and tackled Hollister.
Nathan rolled away.
Eli fell.
Mara dove.
She caught him before he struck the ground.
Gunfire erupted.
She covered the baby with her body.
Silas fought Hollister in the mud.
Nathan kicked a pistol toward Mara.
She grabbed it.
“Silas!”
He rolled.
Mara fired.
The bullet struck Hollister’s shoulder.
He screamed.
His men fled when riders appeared on the ridge.
Sheriff Pike.
Federal marshals.
Jonas.
The ranch became chaos.
Ten minutes later it was over.
Hollister survived.
Mara was disappointed.
Amos told her hanging required a living defendant.
She reluctantly accepted the argument.
Eli was unharmed.
Nathan had been captured when Hollister’s men raided the Denver church.
Jonas escaped and alerted federal authorities.
For the first time, they possessed both the ledger and the man who ran the network.
It should have ended there.
It didn’t.
Hollister laughed while Amos tied his hands.
“You think I’m the end?”
Mara crouched.
“No. I think you’re the beginning of a very unpleasant trial.”
“You won’t reach one.”
“Why?”
“Because half the names in that book belong to men who can buy your government.”
Silas stepped closer.
“Not all of it.”
Hollister smiled.
“You still don’t understand.”
His eyes moved toward Nathan.
“Ask your brother who killed Clara.”
Nathan went pale.
Mara saw it.
The world stopped.
She turned.
“Nathan?”
He looked away.
“Nathan.”
Silas moved between them.
“What does he mean?”
Nathan said nothing.
Mara handed Eli to Silas.
Then she walked toward Nathan.
“Look at me.”
He did.
“Did you kill my sister?”
“No.”
“Did you know who did?”
Silence.
Mara slapped him.
Silas did not stop her.
“Tell me.”
Nathan swallowed.
“Clara killed Clara.”
Mara stared.
“What?”
“She took poison.”
“No.”
“They caught us.”
Nathan’s voice cracked.
“They were going to torture her for names. She had a capsule. We both did.”
Mara backed away.
“No.”
“She chose it.”
“You let her?”
“I was chained across the room!”
His voice broke.
“I watched her die, Mara.”
Silence.
Nathan sank to his knees.
“I watched the woman I loved die because I couldn’t reach her.”
Mara’s anger disappeared.
Only grief remained.
She sat in the mud beside him.
Nathan cried.
So did she.
Silas stood holding Eli while brother and sister-by-loss mourned the same woman.
Later that night, Mara found Clara’s final letter inside the locket.
Nathan had hidden it there.
Mara,
If you are reading this, I ran out of road.
Do not spend your life chasing the person who ended mine. Chase the thing I was trying to save.
Eli.
He deserves laughter.
He deserves noise.
He deserves a mother who will teach him not to bow his head.
That means you.
And if my ridiculous plan worked, you are somewhere near Silas Mercer.
Nathan says he is stubborn, enormous, lonely, and decent.
I suspect you will drive him insane.
Please do.
Mara laughed through tears.
Silas sat beside her.
“What?”
“My sister called you enormous.”
“Accurate.”
“Stubborn.”
“Debatable.”
“Lonely.”
He said nothing.
Mara folded the letter.
“And decent.”
“Poor judgment.”
“She also said I should drive you insane.”
“She succeeded there.”
Mara rested her head against his shoulder.
“Silas?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t want to marry you because Clara arranged it.”
“Good.”
“I don’t want to marry you because I need protection.”
“Better.”
“I don’t want to marry you because Eli needs a father.”
Silas looked at her.
“Then don’t.”
She raised her head.
“What if I want to marry you because you’re the first man I’ve met who doesn’t ask me to become smaller?”
Silas was silent for a long moment.
Then he touched her cheek.
“What if I want to marry you because quiet was the stupidest thing I ever asked for?”
Mara smiled.
“That sounds more promising.”
He kissed her.
No audience.
No interruption.
No fear.
When they separated, he whispered, “Saturday?”
She nodded.
“Saturday.”
But Saturday morning arrived with trouble.
Mercy Hollow filled with reporters.
Federal investigators seized bank records.
Elias Crowe vanished.
Judge Hollister refused to speak.
And the marriage ceremony was delayed when Amos arrived carrying a telegram.
Silas read it.
His expression darkened.
“What?”
He handed it to Mara.
The message contained nine words.
ELIAS CROWE HAS ANNIE. BRING THE LEDGER TO BLACK RIDGE.
Mara looked toward the mountains.
Black Ridge was an abandoned mining settlement three hours north.
Silas loaded his rifle.
Nathan reached for his coat.
Mara stopped him.
“You’re injured.”
“She’s a child.”
“So was Clara.”
Nathan understood.
He sat down.
Silas turned to Mara.
“You stay.”
She laughed.
“No.”
“I had to try.”
They rode together.
Black Ridge appeared through afternoon snow.
The mine entrance stood open.
A lantern burned inside.
Mara dismounted.
Silas examined the tracks.
“One horse.”
“Crowe?”
“Maybe.”
They entered.
The tunnel narrowed.
Water dripped.
A child’s voice echoed ahead.
“Mara?”
Annie.
Mara ran.
Silas followed.
They reached the old lift chamber.
Annie stood across it.
Alone.
“Mara!”
“Don’t move!”
A deep shaft separated them.
The wooden bridge had been removed.
Silas looked for another path.
Then Elias Crowe stepped from behind Annie.
He held no gun.
He was smiling.
“You came.”
“Let her go.”
“I will.”
Crowe looked at Silas.
“Once Mercer learns the truth.”
Silas raised his rifle.
“What truth?”
Crowe slowly removed his hat.
“Your father didn’t die twelve years ago.”
Silas froze.
Crowe pointed into the darkness behind him.
Footsteps approached.
Slow.
Heavy.
An old man emerged from the mine tunnel.
May you like
Silas dropped the rifle.
“Dad?”
