Something moved behind his eyes.
Not guilt.
Concern.
Clara’s certainty shifted.
Silas was involved.
Almost certainly.
But perhaps not alone.
Perhaps not controlling everything.
Then hoofbeats thundered outside.
The sheriff.
Two deputies.
And behind them—
Mr. Harlan.
The bank manager.
Silas stood.
“What is this?”
Harlan entered holding a revolver.
Everyone froze.
The sheriff drew.
“Harlan.”
The bank manager’s face was gray.
Sweat covered his upper lip.
He pointed the revolver not at Tomás.
Not Clara.
At Silas.
“You said nobody would find the railway files.”
Silas stared.
“Harlan, put that down.”
“You said Reed would sell.”
Tomás looked at Clara.
There.
The partnership cracked.
Harlan continued.
“You said the cattle would look like poison weed.”
Silas’s face hardened.
“Shut your mouth.”
The sheriff said, “Drop the gun.”
Harlan laughed hysterically.
“Why? So he can blame everything on me?”
Silas moved one step.
Harlan cocked the revolver.
“Don’t.”
Clara stood slowly.
Tomás grabbed her wrist.
She looked at him.
Not now.
For once she obeyed.
Harlan’s hand trembled.
“He promised me ten percent.”
The sheriff kept his weapon steady.
“Ten percent of what?”
“The railway lease.”
Silas closed his eyes.
Harlan continued.
“After foreclosure.”
Tomás felt nausea.
The bank manager.
The man who had sat at their table calmly explaining deadlines.
He had not been collecting a debt.
He had been timing a theft.
“Who poisoned the cattle?”
Harlan laughed.
“Ask him.”
Silas said nothing.
“Who?”
“Danner.”
Clara watched Silas.
No surprise.
Earl had done it.
“Where is he?”
Harlan swallowed.
Silas finally spoke.
“Enough.”
Harlan turned the revolver toward him.
“You killed him.”
Silence.
Clara’s blood chilled.
Tomás whispered, “Earl?”
Harlan nodded wildly.
“He was going to leave.”
Silas lunged.
The gun fired.
Tomás pulled Clara down.
The shot shattered a cabinet.
Deputies tackled Harlan.
Silas ran for the door.
The sheriff struck him with the revolver grip and sent him into the wall.
Within seconds both men were restrained.
Clara stood.
Her heart hammered.
Tomás held her shoulders.
“You all right?”
“Yes.”
He checked anyway.
She almost smiled.
The sheriff searched Silas.
Found a folded piece of paper.
A map.
Dry Creek Ranch.
North spring.
Railway survey.
And one handwritten note.
REED DEFAULT — SEPT 28.
Underneath:
DANNER AFTER JOB.
The sheriff read it.
Looked at Silas.
“What does that mean?”
Silas said nothing.
Harlan started laughing from the floor.
“He buried Earl in the east ravine.”