Cole said nothing.
Mara stepped closer.
“Who?”
Cole looked at her.
“The sheriff.”
Caleb's hand tightened around his pistol.
“Why?”
“Your father refused to sign the transfer.”
“What transfer?”
“The final transfer of the valley.”
Mara's eyes widened.
“They wanted him to sign away Black Mesa.”
Cole nodded.
“He refused.”
“And then?”
“They made it look like an accident.”
Mara's voice trembled.
“You let them kill him.”
Cole looked ashamed.
“I was twenty-two.”
“You had a gun.”
“So did they.”
“You could have helped.”
“I was afraid.”
Mara looked at him for a long moment.
Then she turned away.
Cole whispered:
“I'm sorry.”
Mara didn't answer.
Caleb did.
“Sorry doesn't bring him back.”
Cole lowered his head.
Then he reached into his coat.
“I have something.”
He handed Caleb a folded paper.
“Your father gave this to me the night before he died.”
Caleb opened it.
A message.
If my daughter ever comes looking for the truth, help her find the old church.
Mara stared.
“The church?”
Cole nodded.
“There is something beneath it.”
Caleb looked toward Red Hollow.
“We go back.”
Mara was surprised.
“Back?”
“Yes.”
“We have the evidence.”
“Not enough.”
“What else is there?”
“The proof that connects the sheriff to the whole operation.”
They rode back toward Red Hollow after sunset.
The old church stood at the edge of town.
Its windows were broken.
Its doors hung crooked.
Caleb and Mara entered quietly.
Cole stayed outside.
They searched behind the altar.
Nothing.
Under the floorboards.
Nothing.
Then Mara noticed the old bell rope.
She pulled.
Nothing happened.
Caleb looked up.
“The bell tower.”
They climbed the narrow stairs.
At the top they found a wooden box hidden behind the bell mechanism.
Inside was a journal.
Elias Red Elk's handwriting filled its pages.
Mara touched the cover.
Her hands shook.
She opened it.
The first pages described the land scheme.
The later pages named everyone involved.
At the end was one final entry.
If I disappear, it will mean they have decided the land is worth more than my life.
Mara's eyes filled with tears.
Below that was another sentence.
But my daughter must know this: fear is not the same thing as surrender.
She closed the journal.
Caleb stood beside her.
“He knew.”
“Yes.”
“He knew they might kill him.”
“Yes.”
“And he still continued.”
Mara looked at Caleb.
“Would you?”
Caleb didn't answer immediately.
Then he said:
“I don't know.”
Mara nodded.
“That is more honest than most people in this town.”
They heard footsteps below.
Caleb extinguished the lantern.
Someone entered the church.
The sheriff.
His voice echoed through the building.
“Come out.”
No one answered.
“You have nowhere to go.”
Caleb whispered:
“There is always somewhere to go.”
Mara smiled despite herself.
They moved toward the bell tower window.
A rope hung from the side of the building.
Caleb tied it around the railing.
“You first.”
“No.”
“Mara.”
“You first.”
He stared at her.
She smiled.
“I learned from you.”
Caleb shook his head.
“That's unfortunate.”
They climbed down.
When they reached the ground, they found dozens of townspeople gathered outside.
The church bell had started ringing.
Nobody knew who had pulled it.
But the entire town had heard it.
People stepped into the street.
The sheriff came out of the church.
He froze when he saw them.
Mara walked forward.
She held up her father's journal.
“This belongs to Elias Red Elk.”
The sheriff raised his gun.
No one moved.
Mara continued.
“You killed him.”
Boone looked around.
“You believe her?”
An old rancher stepped forward.
“I do.”
Another man followed.
“So do I.”
Then another.
The sheriff's authority began collapsing before his eyes.
He pointed his gun at Mara.
Caleb stepped between them.
“Don't.”
Boone laughed.
“You think these people will protect you?”
The rancher answered.
“They don't have to.”