Chapter 6 - The Man Wearing Elias's Name
Elias ran after him.
The stranger disappeared into the crowded courthouse corridor.
"Stop!"
People turned.
No sign of him.
Ingrid entered behind Elias.
"The journals."
"I know."
They searched every room.
Nothing.
Then Judge Harlan's clerk shouted.
A rear window stood open.
Snow beneath it showed fresh tracks.
The stranger had escaped.
But he had left one journal page behind.
It contained a hand-drawn map of the Ward ranch.
A red X marked the north spring.
Beside it:
SUBTERRANEAN FLOW EXTENDS EAST — OWNERSHIP DEPENDS ON ORIGINAL 1874 LINE.
Judge Harlan studied it.
"If this journal is authentic, Crane's deeds may be invalid."
"May?"
"Federal records must confirm the original boundary."
"How long?"
"Several weeks."
Elias laughed bitterly.
"I don't have several weeks."
Harlan looked at him.
"You have my stay."
"Crane doesn't need foreclosure anymore. He burned my hay and kidnapped my son."
"Can you prove that?"
"No."
"Then let me give you advice. Stay alive long enough for paper to become law."
Elias understood.
Crane had lost control legally.
Which made him more dangerous physically.
That night they returned to the ranch.
Elias doubled watches.
Noah slept in his room.
Ingrid slept across the hall.
At least Elias thought she slept.
Around two, he found her in the kitchen.
"You too?"
"I wasn't tired."
"Lie."
"Yes."
He sat.
She poured coffee.
"Who's using your name?"
"I don't know."
"Family?"
"No brothers."
"Cousins?"
"None nearby."
"Someone who resembles you."
"Plenty of dark-haired men own coats."
"Not many knew about the journals."
Elias nodded.
"The leak is close."
"Caleb?"
"No."
"You trust him after everything?"
"Yes."
"Talbot?"
"Maybe."
"Anders?"
Ingrid stiffened.
"My husband's brother crossed an ocean to find me."
"Doesn't make him innocent."
"No."
"You don't like me saying it."
"No."
"Still true."
She sighed.
"Elias."
"What?"
"If we survive this, we need to learn how to disagree without sounding like we are preparing to shoot each other."
"If we survive this?"
She smiled faintly.
"See?"
He reached across the table.
"Stay."
Her smile disappeared.
"Don't ask because you're afraid."
"I'm asking because I'm tired of pretending I only notice you when something collapses."
"Elias—"
"I know you loved Erik."
"Yes."
"I know you lost a child."
Her eyes lowered.
"I know this ranch isn't Norway, and I'm not asking you to replace anyone."
He squeezed her hand.
"I'm asking whether you can imagine a life here."
She looked at their joined hands.
"I already have."
Before Elias could speak, a shot exploded outside.
They ran.
The north stable door stood open.
A figure rode away.
Caleb lay in the snow.
Blood on his shoulder.
"Caleb!"
Alive.
The bullet had passed through.
Near him was a lantern and an oil-soaked rag.
"They were trying to burn the stable," he gasped.
"Who?"
"Couldn't see."
Anders ran from the bunkhouse.
Too late.
Elias noticed.
"Where were you?"
"Asleep."
"You didn't hear the shot?"
"I did. That's why I'm here."
Suspicion spread.
Ingrid saw it.
"Enough."
Elias looked at her.
"Someone knew where we were weakest."
"That doesn't make Anders guilty."
"No."
"But you think it."
"I think someone close is helping Crane."
Anders stepped forward.
"If you believe it's me, say it."
Elias did.
"I believe it could be."
Ingrid flinched.
Anders nodded.
"Then watch me."
For the next two days, they did.
Nothing happened.
Then federal survey records arrived.
Judge Harlan came personally.
He spread maps across Elias's kitchen table.
"The original 1874 boundary follows the east ridge."
Crane's later deeds moved it west.
Meaning?
"The Ward spring is entirely yours. Every downstream parcel Crane claimed from altered surveys is legally questionable."
Caleb laughed despite his wounded arm.
"We've got him."
Harlan nodded.
"Potentially."
Elias groaned.
"Judge, you enjoy that word too much."
Harlan almost smiled.
"I enjoy not making promises law hasn't finished keeping."
He signed another order.
First Territorial Bank could not seize the ranch.
Crane could not transfer disputed land.
The sheriff could arrest him if enough direct criminal evidence emerged.
For the first time, Elias's ranch was safe from immediate foreclosure.
That night Noah asked whether they could celebrate.
Ingrid made a small cake from precious sugar.
Caleb played harmonica badly.
Even Talbot laughed.
Elias watched Ingrid with Noah.
A family scene.
Dangerous to hope for.
Beautiful anyway.
Later he found her outside.
Snow fell lightly.
"You never answered me."
"I know."
"Still imagining a life here?"
"Yes."
"With me?"
She looked at him.
"Yes."
He kissed her slowly.
No urgency this time.
No fear.
When they parted, Ingrid whispered, "But I won't marry you because you need someone to save your ranch."
"Good."
"Good?"
"I don't need that anymore."
She raised an eyebrow.
"You still need considerable help."
"I need you for other reasons."
"What reasons?"
"You're bossy."
She laughed.
He loved the sound.
Then Noah screamed.
Again.
They ran inside.
His room was empty.
But this time the window wasn't broken.
The door had been opened from the hallway.
On the bed lay a note.
COME TO THE NORTH SPRING.
BRING INGRID.
NO SHERIFF.
Elias turned.
"Anders."
They ran to the bunkhouse.
Empty.
His horse was gone.
Ingrid's face collapsed.
"No."
Elias wanted to be wrong.
They rode toward the spring.
Two miles through forest.
They found torchlight.
Crane stood near the water.
Noah beside him.
Anders stood opposite Crane holding a rifle.
Elias drew his gun.
"Anders!"
Anders turned.
"Stay back!"
Ingrid stared.
"What are you doing?"
Crane smiled.
"He finally chose his family."
Anders's jaw tightened.
"You said you'd release the boy."
"When Mrs. Larson comes to me."
Ingrid stepped forward.
Elias caught her.
"No."
Crane lifted his pistol toward Noah.
"She comes, or he dies."
Anders's rifle swung toward Crane.
Crane's men appeared among the trees.
Six.
They had been hidden.
Anders cursed.
"I didn't know they were here."
Elias understood.
Anders had made some kind of deal.
But not this one.
"Ingrid," Anders said. "Don't."
Crane smiled.
"Your late husband made the same mistake. Always trying to protect everyone."
Ingrid went still.
"You killed him."
"I ordered a warning."
"The beam."
Crane shrugged.
"Men misunderstand instructions."
Elias felt Ingrid tremble.
She stepped forward.
Crane motioned.
"Closer."
Elias whispered, "Trust me."
She looked back.
Something passed between them.
Then she continued.
Crane grabbed her.
Elias fired.
Chaos.
Anders shot one man.
Elias hit another.
Noah dropped flat as Elias had taught him.
Ingrid drove her elbow into Crane.
He staggered.
She ran toward Noah.
Crane grabbed her skirt and pulled her down.
Elias charged.
They collided.
Crane's pistol slid across ice.
Anders reached Noah.
"Run!"
The boy ran toward Ingrid.
A shot rang out.
Anders collapsed.
Ingrid screamed.
Crane's last man fled.
Elias pinned Crane.
Talbot's voice came through the trees.
"Don't move!"
The sheriff had ignored the note.
Good.
Crane was arrested.
Anders was alive, wounded in the leg.
Noah was safe.
Ingrid held him so tightly he complained he couldn't breathe.
For a moment it seemed finished.
Then Talbot searched Crane's coat.
He found a folded letter.
Addressed to Ingrid.
She opened it.
The handwriting was Erik's.
Her dead husband's.
INGRID,
IF WALTER CRANE EVER GIVES YOU THIS LETTER, IT MEANS I FAILED.
She read further.
Then stopped.
Elias saw her face change.
"What?"
She looked at him with horror.
The final line named the person who had truly arranged Edward Ward's death.
It wasn't Walter Crane.
May you like
Ingrid slowly looked toward Caleb.
And Caleb, standing behind them with his injured arm in a sling, quietly reached for his gun.
