Elena looked at him for a long moment.
Then she smiled.
Very slightly.
Samuel realized it was the first time she had smiled since arriving.
"What?"
"You answer slowly."
"I'm thinking."
"Most men answer quickly."
"Most men don't think enough."
She laughed.
The sound surprised him.
Then she winced.
Samuel noticed.
"Your ribs?"
She nodded.
"I was struck."
"Bullet?"
"No."
"Knife?"
"No."
"What?"
"Rifle."
Samuel frowned.
"Someone hit you?"
She nodded.
"Why?"
"Wouldn't give message."
Samuel looked toward Tomas.
The old warrior was talking with two riders.
Samuel lowered his voice.
"Who were they?"
Elena hesitated.
"Men wearing no insignia."
"How many?"
"Six."
"White?"
She nodded.
"Mexican?"
"Two."
"Apache?"
"No."
Samuel thought.
"Did you recognize any?"
"One."
"Who?"
She looked toward the distant road.
"Silas Vane."
Samuel's expression changed.
Silas Vane.
He knew the name.
A land broker.
A cattle buyer.
A man who had recently started purchasing properties near the valley.
He had also been one of the loudest voices demanding military protection from Apache raids.
Samuel had never trusted him.
Now he had a reason.
"Why would Vane want your message?"
Elena looked at him.
"Because it proves the attacks are false."
Samuel nodded slowly.
"And if everyone believes the attacks are real?"
"He buys land."
The words hung between them.
Samuel stared.
"How?"
Elena explained.
Vane had been offering loans to ranchers whose cattle were dying.
He bought debt.
When families could not repay, he acquired their land.
But there was a larger plan.
If violence spread through the territory, land values would collapse.
Ranchers would panic.
Banks would tighten credit.
People would sell.
Vane would buy.
The Apache would be pushed farther from their traditional lands.
Settlers would lose farms.
And one man would own the water, grazing fields and roads between them.
Samuel looked toward the hills.
"That's not a war."
Elena shook her head.
"No."
"It's a business."
She nodded.
"And war makes it profitable."
That afternoon, Samuel rode into Dry Creek with Tomas and two deputies.
The town was tense.
Men stood outside the saloon holding rifles.
People whispered when they saw Tomas.
Some reached for weapons.
Samuel raised his hand.
"Nobody wants trouble."
A storekeeper shouted:
"Three hundred Apache are outside town!"
Samuel turned.
"They're outside my ranch."
"Same thing!"
"No."
Samuel's voice was hard.
"They came because one woman was dying."
The storekeeper laughed bitterly.
"That's what they want you to believe."
Samuel dismounted.
"You want to know what I believe?"
Nobody answered.
"I believe if three hundred men wanted this town dead, you wouldn't be standing here arguing about it."
Silence.
Tomas looked at Samuel.
The old warrior said nothing.
But Samuel could feel his respect.
They reached the sheriff's office.
Sheriff Nathan Cole was waiting.
He looked exhausted.
"You brought them?"
Samuel shook his head.
"They came for Elena."
Cole frowned.
"Who is she?"
Samuel explained.
Then he showed the sheriff the notes Elena had remembered.
Cole read them.
His expression changed.
"Vane."
Samuel nodded.
The sheriff walked to the window.
"He's been buying land all year."
"How much?"
"More than anyone knows."
Cole opened a cabinet.
Inside were documents.
"Look."
Samuel read the names.
Barrett.
Miller.
Henderson.
Lowe.
Eight ranches.
All near water.
All recently in financial trouble.
All targeted by Vane.
Samuel looked at Cole.
"Can you arrest him?"
"On what?"
Samuel had no answer.
"Suspicion isn't evidence."
Cole pointed toward the papers.