Then his gaze moved toward Jonah.
“You should be careful whose advice you accept.”
“Mr. Reed left our employ under unpleasant circumstances.”
Jonah said nothing.
Vale continued.
“He had trouble with accuracy.”
Jonah almost laughed.
Evelyn answered:
“My father disagreed.”
For the first time Vale’s eyes sharpened.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing.”
She put the copy away.
The question had revealed something.
Vale did not know about Samuel’s hidden ledger.
Good.
Evelyn climbed wagon.
Jonah followed.
As they pulled away, Jonah said:
“That was reckless.”
“You looked pleased.”
“I can be pleased and terrified simultaneously.”
“He doesn’t know about ledger.”
“No.”
“That helps.”
“Yes.”
“He also threatened you.”
“Indirectly.”
“He said difficult to kill.”
Jonah looked ahead.
“Vale likes hearing himself sound dangerous.”
“Were those his men two years ago?”
“Yes.”
Evelyn tightened reins.
“And this week?”
“I didn’t see.”
“You think.”
“Yes.”
She was quiet.
Then:
“You are sleeping in the house tonight.”
Jonah looked.
“Why?”
“If men come, I don’t want you alone in bunkhouse with one arm.”
He almost smiled.
“This sounds like concern.”
“This sounds like not wanting my witness murdered.”
“Of course.”
“The sofa.”
“Luxurious.”
“You can still leave.”
“I know.”
That night someone rode past the ranch twice.
Jonah heard first.
He woke Evelyn.
They extinguished lamp.
From upstairs window, they watched two riders stop near south fence.
One dismounted.
Evelyn’s pulse hammered.
Jonah reached for rifle with left hand.
She took it.
“You can barely lift arm.”
“I can shoot left.”
“So can I.”
He looked.
“You?”
Evelyn gave him a cold glance.
“This is Montana.”
Fair.
The riders did not approach house.
They inspected fence line and left.
At daylight Evelyn and Jonah found a wooden survey stake driven into lower pasture.
Stamped with initials:
BTC&F RR.
Bitter Creek & Frontier Railroad.
Jonah swore.
“They’re already marking route.”
“On my land.”
“Yes.”
Evelyn yanked stake from earth.
Jonah stopped her.
“Keep it.”
“Why?”
“Evidence.”
She stared at it.
Then smiled without humor.
“You really were a banker.”
“Unfortunately.”
Monday morning Judge Talbot granted a temporary thirty-day injunction against foreclosure.
Vale’s attorney objected.
The judge was unimpressed.
“A receipt bearing your bank’s own cashier signature and a contemporaneous ranch ledger constitute enough dispute for hearing.”
The bank had to produce original mortgage records within ten days.
Evelyn walked out with another month.
Not victory.
Breathing room.
Jonah stood beside courthouse steps.
“You have sixty days now.”
“Fifty-eight.”
“Optimist.”