Maeve understood.
“For the heirs to disappear.”
“Yes.”
Ruth’s eyes moved between them.
“Callaway had possession. Patrick was overseas. Then Thomas died, leaving one stubborn son occupying the property.”
Callaway grunted.
Maeve glanced at him.
“Accurate.”
Ruth continued.
“But if Silas could acquire Callaway’s half voluntarily and have Patrick’s share declared abandoned or validly transferred, the whole property becomes his.”
Maeve sat back.
“Until I arrived.”
Ruth nodded.
“Until you arrived.”
Callaway looked at the floor.
Maeve realized something.
“You didn’t bring me here because you needed to save the ranch.”
Callaway said nothing.
Ruth looked at him.
Maeve continued.
“You could have tried to keep fighting alone.”
“Yes.”
“You brought me because if Mercer succeeded, he would be stealing from me too.”
“Yes.”
“That was the real reason.”
“One of them.”
Maeve’s eyes narrowed.
“There are too many ‘one of thems’ with you.”
Ruth hid a smile.
Callaway looked mildly uncomfortable.
Maeve turned back.
“What about the railroad?”
Ruth became serious.
“That may explain the urgency.”
She opened a recent newspaper and pointed toward a small notice.
Northwestern Continental Rail Company had petitioned for preliminary surveying rights through several mountain corridors.
One corridor crossed the Gallagher-Callaway ranch.
Maeve stared.
“So Mercer knew.”
“Possibly before public notice.”
“How?”
Ruth shrugged.
“Money has ears.”
The ranch was worth far more than either Maeve or Callaway realized.
Not because of cattle.
Because of access.
The north ridge controlled the most practical rail passage for miles.
If the railroad bought an easement, both owners could become wealthy.
If one man acquired the entire property first, he could become far wealthier.
Silas Mercer wanted that man to be himself.
Ruth leaned forward.
“Do not sign anything.”
Maeve almost laughed.
“I have become suspicious of signatures.”
“Good.”
“Do not travel alone.”
Callaway nodded.
Ruth pointed at him.
“And you.”
“What?”
“Stop deciding what she needs to know.”
Maeve smiled.
Callaway frowned.
Ruth said, “Whatever noble foolishness caused you to hide her ownership ends now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Maeve liked Ruth immediately.
They returned to the ranch with certified copies, new questions, and a warning.
Two days later, someone cut the north fence.
Thirty cattle escaped.
Callaway spent half the night tracking them.
Maeve found one section of wire deliberately loosened.
Not broken.
Opened.
The following week, a small fire started near the hay shed.
Maeve smelled smoke early enough to raise the alarm.
Callaway extinguished it before the structure caught.
He found oil on the ground.
After that, he stopped pretending the threat was legal only.
Maeve noticed his hand resting closer to his revolver.
At night, Callaway checked the doors twice.
Then three times.
Maeve watched him from the bed.
One evening she said, “You should sleep here.”
Callaway looked over.
The memory of the stormy night hung between them.
He had not touched her since.
Not because the desire had disappeared.