Mrs. Hale raised eyebrow.
“Clearly.”
Caleb surrendered Ruth.
She rocked her expertly.
Ruth quieted.
Caleb looked betrayed.
“How?”
“Raised six.”
“That seems excessive.”
She laughed.
“Mrs. Morgan will have hearing morning.”
Caleb’s smile vanished.
“Hollis?”
“Arrived tonight.”
Of course.
“Witness?”
“He claims Samuel worked for him.”
“Claims Eliza killed Samuel after money dispute.”
“Claims children may not be Samuel’s.”
Caleb's expression hardened.
Mrs. Hale continued:
“He has witnesses.”
“Bought.”
“Probably.”
“How fight?”
“With better ones.”
Caleb thought.
Ephraim Bell.
Old foreman.
Wyoming.
Too far.
Then remembered Samuel note.
Land theirs.
Maybe evidence not external.
Maybe Samuel hid proof somewhere.
Eliza had said men searched house.
Could papers be elsewhere?
Pendant.
He looked toward Ruth’s blanket.
The silver pendant was with Eliza.
But Samuel had given it before death.
Family crest.
Caleb remembered childhood.
His father used similar crest on saddle boxes.
Not decoration.
Key.
The pine tree symbol had a raised trunk.
If pressed—
Caleb almost dropped Rose.
Next morning he visited Eliza.
“Pendant.”
She touched chest.
“What?”
“Give it.”
“That romantic.”
“Eliza.”
She removed chain.
Caleb pressed tiny pine engraving.
Click.
Medallion opened.
Inside, folded impossibly small, was strip of paper.
Eliza stared.
“I never knew.”
Caleb unfolded.
Numbers.
Lot 14.
Range 7.
Marker C.
And one word:
BELL.
Caleb looked at her.
“Ephraim Bell.”
“Who?”
“Old foreman.”
“Witness to father’s will.”
“Samuel found him?”
“Maybe.”
“Where is marker?”
Caleb knew.
Northern pasture.
Three-star rock.
Family boundary cairn.
Back at Cedar Ridge.
Two days ride.
Hearing began in four hours.
Caleb looked at marshal.
“I need delay.”
“Why?”
“Evidence.”
“How long?”
“Three days.”
Hale shook head.
“Judge gave morning.”
Caleb stared.
Eliza said:
“Go.”
“No.”
“Caleb.”
“If hearing starts—”
“Crowe is coming.”
“What?”
“He arrived last night.”
Caleb turned.
Benjamin Crowe entered hallway with cane and bandaged hand from office attack.
“You look surprised.”
Caleb almost hugged him.
Almost.
Crowe said:
“I can stall arrogant cattleman for three days.”
“It's one of few joys remaining at my age.”
Caleb left twins with Mrs. Hale and rode.
Hard.
Across frozen road.
Through Cedar Ridge.
Up north pasture.
Marker C stood beside old creek bend.
Stone cairn.
Caleb dug beneath.
Nothing.
Then saw three carved stars.
He moved largest rock.
Under it, oilcloth packet.
Inside: