Chapter 6 - The Night the Mountain Broke
Bessie ran toward the church.
Silas caught her arm.
"No."
"Caleb's inside."
"Pike's armed."
"So are you."
Another explosion shook the valley.
Snow dropped from rooftops.
Vernon shouted from behind them.
"South tunnel's going!"
Silas looked uphill.
Then at the church.
Too many emergencies.
Not enough people.
Bessie made the decision.
"Silas, tunnels."
He stared.
"Earl goes with you."
Earl nodded.
"Henry, infirmary. Get everyone who can't walk into the stone storehouse."
Henry ran.
"Vernon."
The enforcer looked surprised she had addressed him.
"You know Pike."
"Better than you do."
"Then you're coming with me."
Amos grabbed Bessie's sleeve.
"No."
She turned.
His face was pale with pain.
"Bess."
"Amos."
"Don't go inside."
She knelt so their faces were level.
"You went back for Caleb yesterday."
"That was different."
"Why?"
He knew better than to answer.
She kissed his forehead.
Then stood.
"Stay alive until I get back."
He almost laughed.
"Bossy woman."
"Alive husband."
Their old words.
Different world.
Bessie and Vernon crossed the street.
The church door was locked.
Vernon examined it.
"Back entrance."
They moved around the building.
Snow whipped through the alley.
Vernon stopped suddenly.
"Why aren't you afraid of me?"
Bessie looked at him.
"I am."
"You don't act like it."
"I spent thirty-nine years being told fear should make me smaller."
She pushed open the rear gate.
"It never worked."
They entered through the sacristy.
Quiet.
Another blast vibrated through the walls.
Upstairs, Caleb cried out.
Vernon motioned toward the stairwell.
Bessie followed.
Halfway up, Pike's voice came from above.
"Vernon?"
They froze.
"I know you're there."
Vernon's face tightened.
Pike continued.
"You always were predictable."
A gunshot exploded.
Wood beside Vernon's head splintered.
He dropped.
Bessie grabbed his coat and dragged him behind the wall.
He stared at her.
"You pull everybody around?"
"Only troublesome men."
Despite everything, he laughed.
Pike shouted, "Send Bessie up!"
Vernon looked at her.
"No."
Bessie called back, "Why?"
"Because you have something that belongs to me."
"The ledger?"
"No."
Bessie frowned.
Pike answered.
"Your husband."
Her stomach dropped.
"What does that mean?"
"Ask Amos what he found before he married you."
Bessie stared toward the ceiling.
Vernon whispered, "He's stalling."
"So are we."
She raised her voice.
"What did Amos find?"
Pike laughed.
"Come upstairs."
Bessie started climbing.
Vernon grabbed her sleeve.
"Bad idea."
"Got another?"
"No."
"Then stay behind me."
"You're unarmed."
"Exactly."
She walked up.
At the bell tower entrance, Pike stood behind Caleb.
The young miner had a rope around his chest tied to the bell support.
Pike's pistol rested against his neck.
Bessie stopped.
"Let him go."
Pike smiled.
"You've become remarkably important for a cook."
"Disappointing, isn't it?"
His smile faded.
"Where's the ledger?"
"Safe."
"With Amos?"
"No."
Pike's eyes narrowed.
Bessie continued.
"You've lost."
"You think one book matters?"
"It matters enough for you to threaten a wounded boy."
Caleb whispered, "I'm sorry."
"Quiet," Pike snapped.
Bessie looked at him.
"Don't apologize."
Another blast shook the tower.
The bell swung.
Pike glanced toward the window.
Small mistake.
Bessie moved.
Not fast.
Powerfully.
She slammed her shoulder into him.
The gun fired.
Caleb screamed.
Vernon rushed in.
Pike hit Bessie across the face with the pistol.
She fell against the bell frame.
Vernon tackled him.
Both men crashed into the railing.
The old wood broke.
Pike grabbed the beam.
Vernon caught his coat.
For one second Pike hung over the tower stairs.
Bessie could have let him fall.
Instead she grabbed his wrist.
Pike stared up at her.
Shock.
"Why?"
Bessie pulled.
"Because I'm not you."
Vernon hauled him onto the floor.
They tied Pike with the same rope he had used on Caleb.
Caleb was shaken but unhurt.
The bullet had missed.
Then another explosion came.
Louder.
The entire church shifted.
Vernon ran to the window.
"Oh, hell."
Bessie looked.
A huge crack had opened across the slope above camp.
Silas and Earl were running downhill.
Silas shouted something.
Bessie couldn't hear.
Then Amos appeared in the street, supported by Tom.
He looked upward.
His face changed.
"AVALANCHE!"
The ridge broke.
A wall of snow descended.
Bessie grabbed Caleb.
"Down!"
They ran.
Pike shouted from the floor.
"Don't leave me!"
Bessie stopped.
Vernon stared at her.
"Seriously?"
She cut Pike's rope from the beam but left his hands tied.
"Move."
They stumbled down the stairs.
The snow hit the upper buildings first.
Glass shattered.
Roofs vanished.
People screamed.
The stone storehouse stood at the far end of the street.
Too far.
Amos was halfway there.
Bessie pushed Caleb toward him.
"Take him!"
Amos grabbed Caleb.
Bessie turned.
Vernon had Pike.
The avalanche shifted.
A wave of snow swept between them.
Bessie disappeared.
"NO!" Amos shouted.
He dropped his crutch.
Tried to run.
His injured leg collapsed.
Silas caught him.
"BESSIE!"
Snow filled the street.
Then silence.
Amos fought Silas like a madman.
"LET ME GO!"
"You'll die!"
"BESSIE!"
They dug.
Everyone dug.
Earl.
Tom.
Henry.
Vernon.
Even Pike shouted where he had last seen her.
Minutes passed.
Too many.
Amos crawled through the snow on his hands.
His damaged leg dragged behind him.
"Bessie!"
Nothing.
Then Earl saw red cloth.
Her scarf.
They dug faster.
Bessie's hand appeared.
Amos grabbed it.
"She's here!"
They pulled her free.
She wasn't breathing.
Amos stared.
"No."
Henry dropped beside her.
"Bessie!"
Nothing.
Amos pressed his hands to her face.
"Bess."
Henry began compressions.
"Come on."
Amos shook his head.
"You don't get to do this."
Henry worked.
No response.
Amos leaned closer.
"Bossy woman."
Nothing.
"Alive husband."
His voice broke.
"You promised."
Bessie coughed.
Everyone froze.
She coughed again.
Air rushed into her lungs.
Amos laughed and cried at the same time.
Bessie opened her eyes.
Her first words were barely audible.
"Did we win?"
Amos kissed her forehead.
"Not yet."
By dawn, the avalanche had stopped.
The main camp was damaged but standing.
The stone storehouse saved thirty-two people.
The south tunnel collapsed before the blast reached the main powder chamber.
Silas and Earl had cut the fuse seconds before disaster.
Pike sat under guard.
Vernon sat beside him.
Bessie lay wrapped in blankets next to Amos.
For the first time since their wedding, the miners looked at her without ridicule.
Something close to shame moved through the group.
Earl approached.
He removed his hat.
"Bessie."
She looked up.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
He swallowed.
"The wedding."
She waited.
"The jokes."
Still she said nothing.
"For all of it."
Bessie looked around at the men.
Some lowered their eyes.
She finally said, "Apologies are easy when you need something."
Earl nodded.
"You're right."
"What matters is what you do after."
He put his hat back on.
"Then I'll do better."
A rider appeared near noon.
Everyone ran outside.
The north road was still blocked.
Yet a horse had come through the lower canyon.
The rider wore a U.S. marshal's badge.
Behind him came six more men.
Bessie exhaled.
"It's over."
Vernon shook his head.
"No."
She looked at him.
The marshal dismounted.
Pike suddenly smiled.
Vernon stood.
"That's not a federal marshal."
Silas frowned.
"How do you know?"
Vernon stared at the badge.
"Because I killed the man who owned that badge three years ago."
The rider looked directly at Bessie.
May you like
Then drew his revolver.
And every armed man behind him did the same...
