“Thomas worked on the survey crew. He knew the mountains better than most men twice his age.”
Harlon's expression softened briefly.
“He could ride a horse through snow deep enough to swallow the fence posts, and he never met a dangerous trail he didn't want to explore.”
Amily smiled sadly.
“Sounds like he was fearless.”
Harlon shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward the fire.
“He was frightened of plenty of things. He just didn't like admitting it.”
A small smile touched his lips.
Then it disappeared.
“The company wanted a road across the ridge. They also wanted to alter an old channel to make room for hauling equipment.”
Amily frowned.
“Near the spring?”
“Farther down.”
He nodded toward the map.
“My father warned them the slope wasn't stable.”
Harlon's hands tightened around his cup.
“He'd surveyed it years before. There were old water channels inside the hillside and loose rock beneath the surface.”
Amily leaned forward.
“Did they listen?”
“No.”
His answer was immediate.
The company proceeded with construction.
During a period of rapid snowmelt, part of the disturbed slope failed.
Water and loose earth moved across the worksite.
Several men were injured.
Thomas was among them.
Harlon's voice became quieter.
“He was trying to get the others away.”
Amily's eyes filled.
“He saved two men.”
Harlon looked down.
“But he didn't make it out.”
For several seconds, he couldn't continue.
Amily set her cup aside.
She wanted to reach for him.
But he seemed so distant, staring into memories she couldn't see.
Finally, she asked, “Were you there?”
Harlon nodded.
“I arrived after the hillside gave way.”
He swallowed.
“I helped bring him down.”
The fire cracked softly.
Outside, the wind screamed across the ridge.
Harlon continued.
“Blackstone called it an unavoidable natural accident.”
Amily felt cold.
“But your father warned them.”
“Yes.”
“Was there a record?”
Harlon looked toward the old survey notebook.
“Several.”
His expression hardened.
“Some disappeared from the county files.”
Amily stared.
He continued.
“And one report submitted afterward claimed the unstable channel hadn't been identified before construction.”
She looked toward him.
“That's why you kept the original survey?”
“One reason.”
He rubbed his hands together slowly.
“My father spent years trying to prove what happened. He believed the same company was manipulating the property records to gain control of the upper creek.”
Amily's pulse quickened.