Chapter 6 - Rebecca’s Secret
Caleb stared at Rebecca's name until Hannah touched his arm.
“What did she know?”
“Enough to get killed, apparently.”
The words nearly broke him.
For fourteen months Caleb had believed pneumonia took his wife.
Doc Warren had treated her.
But Rebecca had become sick shortly after beginning her own investigation into Thomas Reed's death.
Hannah and Caleb returned to the Mercer house and searched Rebecca's belongings.
Lucy eventually led them to a loose floorboard beneath her mother's old sewing cabinet.
“My mama hid letters there.”
Inside were six pages.
Rebecca had discovered that Voss bribed land officials to falsify claims along the proposed railway route.
Owners who refused to sell suffered accidents.
Fires.
Missing livestock.
Foreclosures.
Two had died.
Thomas Reed was the third.
Rebecca suspected Silas accepted money to help Voss gain temporary control of Hannah's inheritance.
But Silas apparently had not agreed to murder his brother.
That explained his fear.
He had helped open the door.
Then discovered what had walked through it.
The final page was dated three days before Rebecca became ill.
If anything happens to me, Edwin Voss must not obtain Hannah Reed's land.
Caleb sat down.
His face looked empty.
Hannah knelt beside him.
“You couldn't have known.”
“I should have.”
“She hid it to protect you.”
“I was her husband.”
“And you're human.”
He looked at Hannah.
For the first time she saw tears in his eyes.
She did not tell him to be strong.
She simply sat beside him.
Eventually his hand found hers.
By May, Pike was captured in Wyoming.
Faced with hanging for attempted murder, he talked.
Voss had ordered the attack on Thomas Reed.
Voss had paid to alter Hannah's birth record.
Voss had arranged the theft of the box.
But Pike refused to testify unless promised protection.
Sheriff Cole agreed.
The hearing was scheduled for June.
Then Voss made his move.
He filed a claim stating Caleb's marriage to Hannah was fraudulent because money had been exchanged.
If the marriage was void and Hannah's age record remained disputed, Silas could regain guardianship.
Silas, still recovering, surprised everyone.
He came to Mercer Ranch alone.
Hannah met him on the porch.
“I came to confess.”
Caleb stood behind her.
Silas removed his hat.
“I took Voss's money.”
Hannah said nothing.
“I helped change records.”
Still nothing.
“I thought Thomas would sell eventually. I never knew Voss would kill him.”
“You knew afterward.”
“Yes.”
“And you stayed quiet.”
Silas lowered his head.
“Yes.”
“Why sell me to Caleb?”
“I wasn't selling you.”
Hannah's eyes flashed.
“I heard you.”
“I needed Voss to believe you were under a man's control he could pressure.”
Caleb frowned.
“You chose me?”
“You were broke enough to look useful and stubborn enough not to actually hurt her.”
Caleb almost laughed.
Silas looked at Hannah.
“I thought I could get you away from Voss while keeping control of the land.”
“You wanted the land too.”
“Yes.”
At least he admitted it.
Hannah felt no forgiveness.
Not yet.
Maybe never.
But truth mattered.
Silas handed her a document.
The original birth certificate.
June 4, 1865.
Hannah was eighteen.
“Where was this?”
“Hidden.”
“Why give it to me now?”
“Because Voss sent a man to finish what he started.”
Hannah's stomach tightened.
Silas looked toward the children playing near the barn.
“He isn't coming for the land anymore.”
Caleb stepped forward.
“What is he coming for?”
Silas met his eyes.
“Her.”
A gunshot echoed from the ridge.
The barn door burst open.
May you like
Samuel shouted.
And Lucy was suddenly gone.
