Chapter 12 - The Man Who Found Elias
Emmett caught Odessa before she reached the porch.
“Back!”
The cabin exploded.
The blast threw them into snow.
Flames climbed through the roof.
For several seconds Emmett heard nothing.
Then Odessa moved beside him.
“Emmett?”
“I’m here.”
Deputies searched the wreckage.
No Vain.
A tunnel beneath the cabin led toward the trees.
He had lit the fuse and escaped.
Puit knew where he was going.
“Ironwood.”
“Why?”
“Money.”
Vain kept emergency cash in the ranch safe.
They rode down the mountain.
At Ironwood, the main house stood empty.
The safe was open.
Cash gone.
But Vain had left something.
A railway timetable.
The westbound train departed at dawn.
Avery telegraphed stations.
Emmett noticed Puit staring at the floor.
“What?”
Puit swallowed.
“I need to tell Odessa.”
They found her outside.
Puit removed his badge.
“I was at the ravine.”
Odessa said nothing.
“Rafe hit Elias. Barton ordered me to help. I refused.”
“But you didn’t stop them.”
“No.”
Puit’s eyes filled.
“Elias was still alive when Barton pushed him.”
Odessa closed her eyes.
Emmett moved beside her.
Puit continued.
“I could have arrested him. Instead I thought about my family.”
“You lied to me for three years.”
“Yes.”
“Why leave the original report?”
“Because cowardice and guilt are poor roommates.”
Odessa looked at the badge.
“You don’t deserve that.”
“I know.”
He placed it on the ground.
“But I’ll testify.”
“You’ll go to prison.”
“I know.”
For the first time, Odessa believed him.
Not because he had become brave.
Because he had finally stopped protecting himself.
At the station, deputies waited.
No Vain.
The train arrived.
Passengers boarded.
Still no Vain.
Then Emmett noticed a freight wagon.
A driver kept his hat low.
“Vain!”
The wagon exploded forward.
Emmett mounted.
Odessa followed.
The chase crossed open country toward the Ironwood boundary.
Vain abandoned the wagon and headed for North Creek.
Toward the place where everything began.
He reached the diversion gate.
Emmett cornered him.
Vain drew.
Odessa stepped from behind the timber.
“Enough.”
Vain looked at her.
“You could have sold.”
“You could have asked.”
“I did.”
“And I said no.”
“That land was worth a fortune.”
“It was mine.”
Vain laughed bitterly.
“Elias thought the same.”
Odessa’s expression changed.
Vain realized too late what he had admitted.
Deputies stood behind him.
So did Judge Avery.
Vain raised his weapon.
Emmett fired.
The bullet knocked Vain’s revolver away.
Deputies tackled him.
It was over.
Or seemed to be.
Then Rafe, being transported under guard along the ridge road, escaped his wagon during the confusion.
He stole a horse.
And rode straight toward Kesler Ridge.
Odessa’s face went white.
Thomas Vale was there.
So were the original ledgers.
They raced home.
The front door stood open.
Thomas lay unconscious in the hallway.
Emmett entered.
“Rafe!”
No answer.
Odessa saw muddy footprints leading toward Elias’s office.
The hidden floorboard was open.
The ledgers were gone.
Then a voice came from behind them.
“You should’ve let me fall.”
May you like
Rafe stood in the doorway.
And a match burned between his fingers.
