“I had forgotten what noise sounded like.”
Ruth’s voice softened.
“You hired a cook.”
Jonah looked at her.
“I know.”
“Not a family.”
His eyes remained on hers.
“I know that too.”
Something passed between them.
Then the front door slammed.
Ben entered soaked from rain.
“We got one.”
Jonah stood.
“One what?”
“Thief.”
The man was one of the younger ranch hands.
The same one who had asked whether Ruth had been hired to cook.
His name was Caleb Mercer.
Twenty-three.
Worked Rourke Ranch almost two years.
Jonah confronted him in the barn.
Caleb denied everything for ten minutes.
Then Ben produced a folded payment chit.
Vernon Pike’s name sat at the bottom.
Caleb broke.
He had been opening the west gate.
Nothing more.
Or so he claimed.
Vernon paid him five dollars each time.
A rider from town moved cattle after midnight.
“How many?” Jonah asked.
Caleb stared at the floor.
“Thirty-seven.”
Ben swore.
Jonah’s jaw tightened.
“Where?”
“Pike’s holding pasture.”
“Then he changes brands.”
“Ships some east.”
“Some south.”
Ruth stood near the barn door.
Caleb noticed her.
His face twisted.
“You.”
Jonah stepped between them.
Caleb laughed bitterly.
“You think she’s some saint?”
“She knows more than she says.”
Ruth went still.
“What does that mean?”
Caleb looked at her.
“Your husband knew.”
Ruth’s stomach dropped.
“About what?”
“The cattle.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Caleb smiled cruelly.
“Samuel hauled the first ones.”
Ruth felt the barn tilt.
Jonah caught her elbow.
Caleb continued.
“Pike paid him.”
“Then Samuel got scared.”
“Started keeping records.”
“Pike told him to stop.”
Ruth could barely breathe.
“Samuel would not steal cattle.”
“He didn't know at first.”
Caleb shrugged.
“Later?”
“He knew something.”
“Enough to quit.”
“Enough to hide books.”
Jonah’s voice turned dangerous.
“Enough.”
But Ruth stepped forward.
“No.”
She looked at Caleb.
“What happened to him?”
Caleb’s eyes shifted.
Ruth saw fear.
“What happened to my husband?”