The fraud was not about cattle.
Not really.
Cattle funded something.
Someone.
A twenty-year disappearance.
A family secret.
Nathan finally spoke.
“We go tomorrow.”
Bella nodded.
Thomas stared.
“You?”
Nathan looked at her.
“No.”
Bella crossed her arms.
“Yes.”
Nathan’s expression hardened.
“This is family.”
“And I’m accounting.”
“That makes no sense.”
“Neither does your family.”
Thomas almost laughed.
Nathan glared.
Bella did not.
“Someone tried to kill you.”
“Yes.”
“Someone stole hundreds of cattle.”
“Yes.”
“Someone forged accounts.”
“Yes.”
“And you think I am staying here?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Nathan rubbed his face.
Bella smiled faintly.
“Your mother may like me.”
His head lifted.
“That is not funny.”
“It was a little.”
Despite everything, he almost smiled.
That was enough.
They left before dawn.
Nathan.
Bella.
Thomas.
Two trusted ranch guards.
No Victor.
No Paul.
Mrs. Donnelly packed food and gave Bella an extra coat.
Then whispered:
“Do not let him become stupid.”
Bella looked toward Nathan.
“That may be impossible.”
Mrs. Donnelly nodded.
“Do your best.”
The journey took two days.
Bella hated horses.
At her size, finding a saddle comfortable enough was difficult.
Nathan arranged a reinforced carriage instead.
He made no comment.
No embarrassment.
No attempt to pretend logistics did not exist.
That mattered.
At the first overnight stop, Bella stood beside the inn window rubbing her knees.
Nathan noticed.
“We can slow tomorrow.”
“No.”
“You’re hurting.”
“I am heavy.”
“Those are not the same.”
She looked at him.
“Sometimes they are.”
He nodded.
No argument.
Bella appreciated that too.
Most people either blamed every pain on her body or denied that her body ever created practical challenges.
Nathan simply adjusted.
“We stop more often.”
“Nathan.”
“Not negotiable.”
“You enjoy orders.”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
Then the smile faded.
“Are you scared?”
He looked toward the darkness outside.
“Yes.”
Honesty.
Again.
“What if she is your mother?”
“I don’t know.”
“What if she isn’t?”
“I know.”
“Which is worse?”
He thought.
“If she is.”
Bella understood.
Because then someone chose to disappear.
Or was forced.
Either answer hurt.
Nathan looked at her.
“Why are you here?”
“I told you.”
“Accounting.”
She smiled faintly.
“Partly.”
“What else?”
Bella looked toward the bed.
One room.
Two beds.
Nathan had insisted.
That mattered less now than it once would have.
She looked back.
“You were there when I buried my mother.”
“I stayed outside.”
“You were still there.”
Nathan said nothing.
Bella continued.
“If your mother is alive, you shouldn’t meet her alone.”