Chapter 5 - The Woman Behind the LedgerSadie woke to silence.
No mine.
No gunfire.
No Gideon.
She opened her eyes.
A lantern burned beside her.
She was lying on a wooden table.
Her father was gone.
Gideon was gone.
Panic surged through her.
She sat up.
Her wrist throbbed.
Someone had wrapped it with clean cloth.
“Gideon?”
Nothing.
She climbed off the table.
A door opened behind her.
A woman stepped inside.
She was in her forties.
Dark hair.
Black coat.
A pistol at her waist.
“You're awake.”
Sadie backed away.
“Where is my father?”
The woman closed the door.
“Dead.”
Sadie's chest tightened.
“No.”
“He was already dying when we brought you here.”
“We?”
The woman smiled.
“Judd isn't your only enemy.”
Sadie stared at her.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Clara Voss.”
The name meant nothing.
Then Clara said:
“I worked for your husband.”
Sadie stiffened.
“How long?”
“Six years.”
“Why?”
“Because Judd paid very well.”
“Then why am I alive?”
Clara's smile disappeared.
“Because I owe your father.”
Sadie stared.
“You knew him.”
“Everyone in North Ridge knew Elias Bennett.”
“What happened to him?”
“Your father discovered where the gold came from.”
Sadie looked around.
“Where?”
Clara came closer.
“Not a mine.”
“What?”
“Those bars.”
She pointed toward the underground chamber.
“They aren't mined.”
Sadie frowned.
“Then where?”
Clara lowered her voice.
“They come from the military reserve at Fort Carson.”
Sadie's blood went cold.
“What?”
“Years ago, someone inside the military began stealing shipments. Judd became the middleman.”
“That can't be.”
“It gets worse.”
Clara opened a drawer.
Inside were photographs.
Rail cars.
Military crates.
Guarded tunnels.
And signatures.
Sadie recognized one name.
The sheriff.
Another.
The county judge.
Another.
Judd.
Clara placed a final photograph on the table.
Sadie stared.
It showed Judd with a man in a military uniform.
The man's face had been scratched out.
“Who is he?”
Clara smiled bitterly.
“The man who can destroy everyone.”
“What's his name?”
“You've heard it before.”
Sadie's eyes narrowed.
Clara leaned closer.
“Colonel Nathaniel Mercer.”
Sadie stopped.
“Mercer?”
“Judd's father.”
Sadie felt sick.
“My husband said his father died before we married.”
“He did.”
“Then—”
“He's in the grave.”
Clara looked toward the door.
“But the man in that photograph isn't Nathaniel.”
Sadie stared.
“His brother.”
“Judd has an uncle?”
“Had.”
“What happened to him?”
“Officially?”
Clara laughed softly.
“Nothing.”
Then a gunshot sounded outside.
Clara's expression changed.
“They found us.”
Sadie heard shouting.
Gideon's voice.
“Sadie!”
She ran to the door.
Clara caught her arm.
“Wait.”
“Let go.”
“Listen to me.”
Clara's fingers tightened.
“Gideon is being taken.”
Sadie froze.
“What?”
“Judd's men caught him.”
“No.”
“He killed two of them.”
“Then he'll escape.”
“Not this time.”
Clara released her.
Sadie looked at the pistol on Clara's belt.
“Give me that.”
Clara raised an eyebrow.
“You don't know how to use it.”
“My husband taught me.”
Clara handed it over.
“Then make sure you don't waste what he taught you.”
Sadie opened the door.
Gunfire erupted in the corridor.
She ducked.
Men rushed past.
One fell.
Another screamed.
Then Sadie saw Gideon.
Hands tied behind his back.
Blood pouring from his mouth.
Judd walked beside him.
Sadie stepped into the corridor.
“Judd!”
He stopped.
His eyes found her.
He smiled.
“There she is.”
Gideon's head lifted.
His eyes widened.
“Sadie, run.”
Judd laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
He grabbed Gideon's collar.
“Tell her.”
Gideon spat blood.
“Go to hell.”
Judd hit him.
Sadie raised the pistol.
“Let him go.”
Judd stared at the gun.
Then laughed.
“You won't shoot me.”
“Try me.”
For the first time, his smile weakened.
“You always were more like your father than you realized.”
Sadie stepped forward.
“What happened to Elias?”
Judd's eyes hardened.
“He betrayed us.”
“He protected me.”
“He chose you.”
“What's wrong with that?”
Judd looked at Gideon.
“Everything.”
Then he leaned toward Sadie.
“Because he knew what you were carrying.”
Sadie frowned.
“I carry nothing.”
Judd smiled.
“You do.”
He reached into his coat.
Pulled out another ledger.
But this one was smaller.
Black leather.
“Do you know what this is?”
Sadie's face went pale.
“No.”
“This is why your father died.”
Judd tossed it at her feet.
She picked it up.
The first page contained a single sentence.
The woman who inherits the Bennett bloodline inherits the claim to Black Hollow.
Sadie stared.
Judd whispered:
“Your father wasn't guarding the mine.”
“He was guarding you.”
A loud crack shook the tunnel.
The ceiling began to collapse.
Dust filled the air.
Gideon screamed:
“DOWN!”
He lunged toward Sadie.
The mountain thundered.
Stone crashed between them.
When Sadie opened her eyes again, she was alone.
May you like
Gideon was on the other side of the collapse.
And Judd was gone.
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