"So you made the decision for me."
The sheriff looked toward him.
For a moment, he seemed unable to answer.
Then he nodded.
"Yes."
Caleb stared.
"And it was wrong."
Amos swallowed.
"I know."
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Clara touched Caleb's arm.
He looked toward her.
She wasn't asking him to forgive the sheriff.
She wasn't telling him to calm down.
She simply stood beside him.
He looked at her hand.
Then at Thomas's letter.
For a moment, the anger loosened enough for grief to rise.
Caleb sat slowly.
He covered his face.
The room became painfully quiet.
Then he began crying.
He had not cried openly in front of another man since the day Thomas was buried.
Now five years of grief seemed to break through at once.
Clara knelt beside his chair.
She placed one hand against his shoulder.
He reached for her.
And held her as though the room might disappear if he let go.
Amos remained behind his desk.
His eyes were wet.
He didn't interrupt.
Didn't offer excuses.
He simply allowed Caleb to grieve.
After several minutes, Caleb lowered his hands.
His face was exhausted.
He looked toward the letter.
Then toward Amos.
"Why keep it?"
The sheriff swallowed.
"Because I couldn't bear to throw it away."
Caleb stared.
Amos continued.
"And because I kept hoping someday I'd find something that explained it."
He looked toward Clara's maps.
"Perhaps that day has come."
Caleb was quiet.
Then he took a slow breath.
"Don't hide anything else from me."
Amos nodded.
"I won't."
Caleb looked toward Clara.
She squeezed his hand.
For a moment, they remained connected.
Then Caleb turned back toward the sheriff.
"We need to find the marker."
Amos nodded.
"Yes."
He paused.
"But not with you riding alone into the mountains after every man who might have known Thomas."
Caleb's expression hardened.
The sheriff continued.
"We do this carefully. We preserve evidence. We keep witnesses alive. And we take it to people who can act."
Caleb stared.
For a moment, he looked as though he might argue.
Then he glanced toward Clara.
She was watching him.
Her eyes were tired.
But determined.
He took a breath.
"All right."
Amos leaned back.
Relief crossed his face.
Then he said, "Good."