Chapter 7 - The Woman Who Came Back From the Dead
"Drop the gun, Elias."
Coyle pressed the barrel against Anna's temple.
Elias lowered his revolver.
Anna looked older.
Thinner.
But alive.
Her eyes never left her husband.
"Don't," she whispered.
Coyle tightened his grip.
"Quiet."
Judge Vale stepped forward.
"Everett Coyle, you're under federal arrest."
Coyle laughed.
"With whose army?"
Shots erupted outside.
Vale's deputies had been surrounded.
Coyle's men had returned.
"Mine," Coyle said.
Martha stood near the safe.
Coyle noticed her.
"Mrs. Whitcomb."
"You knew my husband."
"Briefly."
"You killed him."
"Did I?"
Crane stepped forward.
"I can testify."
Coyle looked almost bored.
"You can testify that your medicine killed a sick man."
Crane paled.
Coyle smiled.
"See how easy truth becomes when properly phrased?"
Martha hated him instantly.
Not because he shouted.
Because he didn't.
He spoke like a man who had spent years believing consequences belonged to other people.
"Daniel stole from me," Coyle said.
"He exposed you."
"He stole."
"Then why sabotage my wagon?"
"To retrieve my property."
"And if I died?"
Coyle shrugged.
Elias lunged.
Anna cried out.
Coyle's gun pressed harder.
"Careful."
Martha saw Anna's hand.
One finger pointed downward.
Subtle.
Toward Coyle's boot.
A knife handle protruded there.
Martha understood.
She moved.
"Daniel left me a message for you."
Coyle looked at her.
"What?"
"He said you were afraid."
That annoyed him.
"Of what?"
"Of a schoolteacher."
Coyle's attention shifted fully toward Martha.
Anna moved.
She grabbed the knife.
Elias fired.
Chaos exploded.
Anna dropped.
Coyle's pistol discharged into the ceiling.
Elias tackled him.
Judge Vale's deputies rushed in as Clara fired through a window at Coyle's men.
Within minutes, the fight ended.
Coyle lay on the floor.
Alive.
Arrested.
Elias turned.
Anna stood.
For six years he had imagined this moment.
He had no words.
Neither did she.
Then he crossed the room.
They embraced.
Martha looked away.
She should have felt only joy.
Instead her heart hurt.
She hated herself for it.
Later, Anna found Jacob.
Their reunion broke everyone watching.
Elias stood with one arm around his wife and one around his son.
A family restored.
Martha remained near the wagon.
Crane approached.
"You all right?"
"Yes."
"You're a terrible liar."
"So Elias says."
Crane glanced toward the Coles.
"Ah."
Martha stiffened.
"Don't."
"I wasn't going to."
"Good."
She walked away.
That evening Coyle and Mercer were taken into custody.
The records were secured.
Daniel's murder would be investigated.
For the first time, Martha should have felt safe.
Instead she felt strangely homeless.
Her claim still waited west.
Her baby would come soon.
And Elias no longer needed to protect her.
She found him after sunset.
"Leaving tomorrow," she said.
His face changed.
"Where?"
"My land."
"You're eight weeks from delivery."
"Approximately."
"Travel isn't safe."
"Neither is breathing, apparently."
"Martha."
She smiled.
"You found your family."
He looked toward Anna and Jacob.
"Yes."
"I'm glad."
"I know."
She meant it.
That was what made leaving painful.
"You don't owe me anything now."
"I never thought I did."
"Good."
"Martha—"
Anna appeared.
"Elias."
Something in her tone stopped him.
"I need to speak with you."
Martha stepped away.
"Good night."
She returned to her room.
She packed Daniel's things.
The ledger no longer belonged to her.
The seal had become evidence.
But the cradle remained.
She touched the unfinished rail.
"Just us again, Rose."
A knock came.
Anna stood outside.
"May I?"
Martha nodded.
Anna entered.
For several seconds neither woman spoke.
Then Anna said, "You love him."
Martha's face burned.
"No."
Anna almost smiled.
"You're as bad a liar as he is."
"He's your husband."
"Yes."
Martha forced herself to meet her eyes.
"I would never—"
"I know."
Anna sat.
"Elias told me what you did."
"He saved me."
"You saved him too."
"No."
"You brought him back to Jacob."
Martha looked down.
Anna's voice softened.
"Six years changes people."
Martha didn't know what to say.
"I loved Elias," Anna continued. "Part of me always will."
Martha looked up.
"Loved?"
Anna removed something from her pocket.
A folded legal document.
"My marriage to Elias was dissolved five years ago."
Martha stared.
"What?"
"Coyle forced it through using a corrupt judge. I discovered it later."
"That can be reversed."
"Perhaps."
"Then—"
"I don't want it reversed."
Martha was stunned.
Anna's eyes filled.
"Surviving changed me. I spent six years living for Jacob and for revenge. Elias spent six years mourning a woman who no longer exists."
"You should tell him."
"I did."
Martha thought of their conversation outside.
"What did he say?"
"He didn't know what to say."
Anna smiled sadly.
"That's Elias."
Martha couldn't respond.
Anna stood.
"Don't leave because of me."
"I'm not."
"Another lie."
She walked to the door.
Then paused.
"Daniel once saved my life."
Martha froze.
"What?"
"He found me after I escaped Coyle."
Anna looked back.
"That's how he knew about Elias."
"Why didn't Daniel tell me?"
"Because I begged him not to. Coyle still had Jacob."
Martha closed her eyes.
Another secret.
But this one no longer angered her the same way.
Daniel had been trying to save people.
Perhaps badly.
Perhaps foolishly.
But bravely.
Anna opened the door.
"There's something else Daniel gave me."
Martha stood.
Anna reached inside her coat.
Before she could remove it, a gunshot sounded outside.
Then another.
Someone screamed.
Elias shouted Martha's name.
Anna rushed to the window.
The jail wagon carrying Coyle had overturned.
May you like
Mercer was gone.
And Everett Coyle's cell was empty.
