Caleb stepped beside her.
"That's enough."
Harlan turned toward him.
"You don't know what you're defending."
Caleb looked directly at his half-brother.
"I know I won't stand by while you threaten her."
Harlan's expression changed.
For a moment, he looked genuinely angry.
Then he lowered his voice.
"Be careful, Caleb. We have business of our own."
Caleb nodded toward the courthouse.
"Then speak with the sheriff."
The older man stared.
Caleb continued.
"He knows about the road proposal."
Harlan's eyes narrowed.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then the older man forced a smile.
"You're making a mistake."
Caleb looked at him.
"That wouldn't be the first time."
He turned toward Martha.
"Ready?"
She nodded.
They walked past Harlan and continued toward the sheriff's office.
Martha's legs felt unsteady.
But she kept walking.
Behind them, Harlan called out.
"You'll regret this, little brother!"
Caleb didn't turn.
Martha looked toward him.
He squeezed her hand gently.
"Let him speak."
For the first time, she understood that his silence wasn't cowardice.
It was restraint.
And that distinction gave her courage.
The next several days brought more discoveries.
The sheriff made inquiries about Tate Western Freight, while the county clerk reviewed the disputed land records and the available correspondence. Caleb and Martha provided their copies, carefully noting which documents came from Missouri and which had been obtained in Bitter Creek.
The distinction mattered.
The copied accounts could identify discrepancies, but they were not a substitute for the original records. The sheriff needed to establish whether the relevant entries matched actual payments, whether the land agreements were genuine, and whether anyone had knowingly misrepresented the status of Caleb's property.
One witness proved especially useful.
He was an older wagon driver named Silas Reed who had worked for Tate Western Freight during the previous spring. Silas had been hired to move equipment toward the lower mountain valley, but the job was canceled after the proposed road agreement failed to materialize.
When the sheriff asked about the project, Silas explained that the company had spoken as though the route across Caleb's land were already approved.
Caleb stared.
"Who told you that?"
Silas looked uncomfortable.
"A manager from the freight office."
"Did he show you an agreement?"
"No. Said the papers were being handled."
Martha took a breath.
"Did he mention payments?"
Silas nodded.
"Something about an advance to secure the right-of-way."
Caleb looked toward the sheriff.
"I never received an advance."
Gideon made a note.
Then he asked Silas whether he could identify the manager and provide any records from the canceled shipment.
Silas agreed.
The next afternoon, he returned with a freight receipt showing equipment that had been prepared for delivery before the supposed road agreement was completed.
The date matched one of the suspicious entries in Martha's copied accounts.
Caleb stared at the paperwork.
Then he looked toward Martha.