Red Elk nodded.
"We need to get them to the territorial governor."
Caleb understood immediately.
"If we can reach the governor before Hawthorne, we can expose the entire plan."
Red Elk looked at the map.
"How?"
"The railroad."
Elena shook her head.
"The army controls it."
"Then we'll take the old mountain trail."
"It takes four days."
"We have two."
Red Elk looked at Caleb.
"You will go."
Caleb nodded.
Elena stepped forward.
"So will I."
"No."
Her father shook his head.
"You have done enough."
"I have not."
"You are my daughter."
"And that is exactly why I must go."
Red Elk stared at her.
Finally, he nodded.
Before dawn, Caleb and Elena left with two horses.
They reached the mountains by sunset.
Snow began falling.
They stopped beneath an overhang.
Elena looked exhausted.
Caleb built a fire.
"You should sleep."
"So should you."
"I don't sleep much."
"Why?"
"Bad dreams."
She looked at him.
"About your father?"
"Sometimes."
"What do you dream?"
"That he comes home."
Elena lowered her eyes.
"I dream about my mother."
"What does she say?"
"Nothing."
Caleb understood.
Silence could hurt more than words.
He moved closer.
"You don't have to be alone."
Elena rested her head against his shoulder.
"I know."
Outside, snow covered their tracks.
For the first time since the chase began, they were safe.
But neither noticed the man watching from the ridge.
Thomas.
He had followed them.
And he was carrying a rifle.
The Man Who Betrayed Everyone
Thomas entered their camp just before sunrise.
Caleb woke instantly.
His revolver was in his hand before he opened his eyes.
Thomas raised both hands.
"I'm not here to fight."
Caleb kept the gun pointed at him.
"Then why are you here?"
"To warn you."
Elena sat up.
"About what?"
"Hawthorne has already reached the governor."
Caleb cursed.
"How?"
"He has documents saying the tribe attacked first."
"Fake documents."
"That won't matter."
Thomas looked at Elena.
"They need someone to testify against him."
Caleb frowned.
"Who?"
"Me."
Silence.
Thomas continued.
"I gave Hawthorne information."
Elena's expression hardened.
"I know."
"But I never wanted war."
"You helped him."
"Yes."
"You killed people."
Thomas lowered his eyes.
"Yes."
Elena stepped toward him.
"Why?"
Thomas looked at her.
"Because Hawthorne threatened your father."
Elena froze.
"He said if I didn't cooperate, he would kill the chief."
Thomas swallowed.
"I believed him."
Caleb lowered his gun slightly.
"You still betrayed everyone."
"I know."
Thomas reached inside his coat.
He pulled out a leather pouch.
Inside were letters signed by Hawthorne.
Orders.
Payments.
Names.
Proof.
Caleb stared at them.
"This could destroy him."
"That's why I came."
Elena took the letters.
"Why now?"
Thomas looked at the sunrise.
"Because I finally understood something."
"What?"
"Fear does not protect a family."
He turned to leave.
Caleb stopped him.
"Thomas."
The older man looked back.
"Your brother knows?"
"Yes."
"Will he forgive you?"
Thomas smiled sadly.
"That is not why I came."
He walked into the snow.
Elena watched him disappear.
Then she whispered:
"He was always afraid."
Caleb took her hand.
"Fear makes people do terrible things."
She looked at him.
"What about you?"
"I've done terrible things."
"Would you do them again?"
Caleb thought about it.
"For you?"
Elena shook her head.
"Not for me."
She touched his chest.
"For what you believe."
Caleb smiled.
"Then no."
Eleven — The Governor's House
They reached the territorial capital two days later.
The governor's mansion was surrounded by soldiers.
Caleb and Elena approached from the rear.
The guard stopped them.
"State your business."
Caleb handed him the treaty.
"We need to see the governor."
The guard laughed.
"Everyone does."
Elena stepped forward.
"Tell him Elena Red Elk is here."
The man's smile disappeared.
Minutes later, they were inside.
Governor William Carter was a tired-looking man in his fifties.
He read the treaty.
Then the letters.
Then the list of names.
His face became pale.
"Where did you get these?"
"My mother."
The governor looked at Elena.
"Your mother was Elena Red Elk?"
"Yes."
"I knew her."
Caleb stared at him.
"You knew her?"
The governor nodded.
"She came to me three years ago."
"What happened?"
"I didn't believe her."
Elena looked away.
Carter sighed.
"I should have."
Suddenly, the door opened.
General Hawthorne entered.
He stopped when he saw them.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Hawthorne smiled.
"Governor."
Carter stood.
"General."
Hawthorne looked at Caleb.
"Mr. Mercer."
Caleb's hand moved toward his gun.
Hawthorne noticed.
"Let's not be uncivilized."
"You murdered my father."
Hawthorne's expression remained calm.
"You have no proof."
Caleb held up the letters.
Hawthorne's face changed.
Carter stepped forward.
"General, explain these."
"They are forged."
Thomas's voice came from the doorway.
"No."
Everyone turned.
Thomas entered.
"I wrote some of them."
Hawthorne stared.
"You."
Thomas nodded.
"And I witnessed the others."
Hawthorne's hand moved toward his pistol.
The governor's guards raised their rifles.
"Don't," Carter ordered.
Hawthorne stopped.
The governor looked at him.
"I want the truth."
Hawthorne laughed.
"The truth?"
He looked around the room.
"The truth is that this territory needs that land."
Carter stared at him.
"And you decided you could manufacture a war to get it."
Hawthorne said nothing.
That silence was answer enough.
Twelve — The Last Bullet
Hawthorne was arrested.