Chapter 3 - Four Days Without Mama
Michael could not breathe.
The woman stood beyond the wavering heat.
Same eyes.
Same narrow face.
Same scar beside the chin.
"Mom?"
She stepped forward.
"No closer," Pike warned.
Michael shoved his arm down.
"That's my mother."
The woman stopped.
"No, Michael."
His hope collapsed immediately.
"My name is Ruth Bell."
She removed her hat.
"I was your mother's sister."
Michael stared.
"My mother never had a sister."
"She had one she was told never to mention."
Ruth looked so much like his mother that it hurt to keep watching her.
Michael had questions.
Hundreds.
But Lillian groaned behind him.
The doctor needed help moving her.
Michael forced himself back to the present.
They carried Lillian and Annie to Walter's house near town.
Ruth came with them.
Pike remained outside.
Michael did not trust him enough to invite him through the door.
Inside, Ruth placed the little iron key on the table.
Michael opened the box.
Documents filled it.
Property deeds.
Worker ledgers.
Signed contracts.
Lists of names.
Dates.
Amounts.
All connected to Calder Freight & Land Company.
Michael flipped through page after page.
"How long has this been happening?"
"Twenty years," Ruth said.
"Why didn't anyone stop him?"
"Because the sheriff owed him money. The judge owed him land. Half the town owed him something."
Michael found his father's name.
Daniel Dawson.
Beside it was an entry:
DISMISSED — FINAL.
Michael stared at the word.
"What does final mean?"
Ruth did not answer.
He looked up.
"What does it mean?"
"It meant Calder decided your father was a threat."
Michael felt anger rise.
"You knew?"
"I learned afterward."
"And my mother?"
"She learned too."
"Is that why she died?"
Ruth's silence answered.
Michael stepped away from the table.
Two deaths.
Eleven years of lies.
He looked toward the room where Annie slept beside Lillian.
"And her?"
Ruth followed his gaze.
"Lillian worked in Calder's house."
"As what?"
"Kitchen maid. Later bookkeeper."
"She found the records."
"Yes."
"Why didn't she leave?"
"She tried."
Ruth looked toward the door.
"Calder controlled every road, every wagon, every employer within forty miles."
Michael thought of Annie walking on crude crutches.
"Why does Annie need those?"
Ruth's expression hardened.
"She fell from a freight wagon last winter."
"Accident?"
"I don't know."
Michael clenched his jaw.
The next morning, Annie woke before everyone.
Michael found her sitting at the kitchen table.
A plate of eggs sat untouched.
"You don't like eggs?"
She shook her head.
"Then what's wrong?"
"I'm saving them."
"For your mama?"
Annie nodded.
Michael sat opposite her.
"Your mama has food."
"She might not tomorrow."
Four days of hunger had taught her something no four-year-old should understand.
Scarcity.
Michael pushed the plate gently toward her.
"There'll be food tomorrow."
Annie looked skeptical.
"And after tomorrow?"
"Then too."
"Promise?"
Michael paused.
Promises were dangerous when you were poor.
But some promises were necessary.
"Promise."
She ate.
Later, Lillian woke stronger.
Michael brought her broth.
She looked around.
"Annie?"
"With Walter."
Lillian relaxed.
Michael sat.
"I opened the box."
"Then you know."
"Some of it."
He leaned forward.
"My father said not to let Calder find Annie."
Lillian's face changed.
"Yes."
"Why?"
She closed her eyes.
"Because Annie can destroy everything Calder built."
Michael frowned.
"She's four."
"Exactly."
Lillian opened her eyes.
"Four years ago Calder's son Thomas died."
"I remember."
"Everyone said fever."
"Wasn't it?"
"No."
Lillian swallowed.
"Thomas tried turning against his father. He gathered evidence."
Michael understood.
"And Annie?"
Lillian began crying quietly.
"Thomas was her father."
Michael stared.
"Calder is her grandfather."
"Yes."
Everything shifted.
Silas Calder had not wanted Annie because she was a starving child on his property.
He wanted control of her.
"If Thomas was Calder's heir..."
"Then Annie inherited his legal claim."
"Land?"
"More than land."
Lillian nodded toward the documents.
"Thomas placed company shares into a trust before he died."
"For Annie?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
"Enough to make Calder lose control."
Michael sat back.
Now he understood the hunger.
The isolation.
The threats.
Calder did not need Annie dead.
He needed her invisible until he could overturn the trust.
Lillian grabbed Michael's hand.
"He has spent four years trying to make me sign away her rights."
"Why didn't you?"
"Would you?"
Michael shook his head.
"No."
She smiled weakly.
"That's why your father trusted your family."
Michael stood.
"I'm going to the courthouse."
Lillian's grip tightened.
"No."
"Why?"
"The county recorder works for Calder."
"Then I'll go to the federal marshal."
"Nearest office is two days east."
"Then I'll ride."
Lillian looked frightened.
"He'll expect that."
Michael smiled coldly.
"Good."
By afternoon, Michael had a plan.
Walter would stay with Lillian and Annie.
Pike volunteered to ride east as a decoy.
Michael would travel north, then cut across at night.
Ruth would take copies of the records south.
Three directions.
Calder could not follow them all.
Before leaving, Michael found Annie near the porch.
She held one crutch and watched him saddle his horse.
"You're going away?"
"For a little while."
Her face fell.
"You promised food tomorrow."
Michael stopped.
He knelt.
"I'll be back."
"My papa said that."
Michael froze.
"You remember him?"
"A little."
"What did he say?"
Annie looked toward the road.
"He said he was going to fix something."
Michael swallowed.
"And then?"
"Mama cried."
He put one hand gently on her shoulder.
"I'm coming back."
She studied his face as though deciding whether adults could be believed.
Then she removed the brass locket.
"Take this."
"Your mama said never remove it."
"You need it more."
Michael closed her small hand around it.
"No."
Annie insisted.
"My papa said brave people need something to remind them why."
Michael stared at her.
"Who told you that?"
"Mama."
He finally took the locket.
Annie smiled.
Then a gunshot exploded from the road.
Michael pulled Annie behind the water barrel.
Walter ran outside with a rifle.
A horse galloped toward them.
Pike.
He nearly fell from the saddle.
Blood covered his shirt.
Michael caught him.
"What happened?"
Pike gasped.
"Road blocked."
"Calder?"
Pike shook his head.
"Worse."
Michael frowned.
Pike grabbed his coat.
"The federal marshal is already here."
Michael stared.
"That's good."
"No."
May you like
Pike's terrified eyes locked onto his.
"Calder brought him."
