The first rider replaced his hat.
“Colson will hear about this.”
Elias answered, “Tell him the road floods after dark.”
The rider looked at Claire once more.
Then turned.
The three men rode away.
Elias waited until hoofbeats disappeared.
Only then did Claire pull back.
His arm fell from her waist.
The sudden absence of contact felt colder than either expected.
Claire looked at the ring.
“Take it off.”
Elias tried.
It would not move.
His knuckle had swollen.
Claire stared.
He looked at her.
“That’s unfortunate.”
She almost laughed.
Then covered her mouth.
The laugh became something closer to a sob.
Elias’s expression changed.
Claire turned away.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“All of this.”
She wiped at her face angrily.
“I promised myself I would not fall apart.”
Elias leaned against the barn post.
“That promise seems unreasonable.”
She looked at him.
He continued.
“You rode twenty miles through a mountain storm with armed men behind you.”
“Falling apart for five minutes seems earned.”
Claire lowered her hands.
That kindness hurt worse than anger.
She walked toward the hay.
Sat.
Elias brought a blanket from the tack room.
He held it out.
She took it.
“Thank you.”
He nodded toward the satchel.
“Now tell me what they want.”
Claire stared at the leather bag.
Then opened it.
Inside were letters.
Maps.
Receipts.
Ledger pages.
A folded survey.
And one sealed envelope.
Elias picked up nothing.
He waited for permission.
Claire noticed.
“My husband worked for Colson.”
Elias’s expression hardened.
“What did he do?”
“Records.”
“Land purchases.”
“Freight contracts.”
“Tax certificates.”
Elias remained silent.
Claire continued.
“He believed he was processing legitimate acquisitions.”
“At first.”
Elias sat opposite her.
“At first?”
“He started noticing signatures that repeated.”
“Different sellers.”
“Same handwriting.”
Elias’s jaw tightened.
“Forged deeds.”
“Yes.”
“More than that.”
Claire unfolded a map.
Red marks covered valleys throughout the district.
“Colson buys debt from banks.”
“Then he pressures owners.”
“If they refuse to sell, tax problems appear.”
“Boundary disputes.”
“Water-right claims.”
“Then forged transfers.”
Elias studied the map.
One red mark sat near his own valley.
Very near.
His eyes narrowed.
“What’s this?”
Claire looked.
Then went quiet.
Elias looked at her.
“What?”
She hesitated.
“That’s why I recognized your brand.”