Another.
Bank receipts.
Another.
Letters.
Anna picked up a document.
"This is from Victor Hale."
Elias read it.
It described payments made to his father.
His stomach tightened.
"Why would my father have these?"
Anna looked around.
"Maybe he wasn't working for Hale."
Elias opened another box.
Inside were copies of land deeds.
Names of ranchers who had lost their properties.
Then he found a letter.
His father's handwriting.
"My son,
If you ever find this, understand one thing.
I was not proud of everything I did.
I took Hale's money once.
Only once.
I used it to save this ranch.
But when I discovered where the money came from, I tried to return it.
Hale threatened your life.
So I stayed silent.
That silence cost innocent families everything.
I spent the rest of my life collecting evidence.
I hid it here because I knew Hale would eventually come for it.
If that day comes, do what I was too afraid to do.
Tell the truth."
Elias sat down.
His father had spent years trying to make amends.
And now the evidence had fallen into his hands.
Anna placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to do this."
Elias looked at her.
"Yes, I do."
A gunshot shattered the window above.
They dropped.
More shots followed.
Men were surrounding the house.
Elias grabbed the rifle.
"They came prepared."
Anna looked at the boxes.
"What about the evidence?"
"We take what we can."
They packed the journal, ledger, and most important documents.
Then fire appeared outside.
Hale's men were burning the ranch.
Elias's jaw tightened.
"They want us out."
Anna coughed through the smoke.
"Where do we go?"
Elias looked toward the back tunnel.
"My father built an escape route."
They ran underground.
Behind them, Morgan Ranch burned.
Chapter Four — The Town Without Law
The tunnel led to the creek.
Elias and Anna escaped on horseback.
They rode toward Mercy Falls.
It was the largest town in the territory.
But Victor Hale owned it.
Every store.
The bank.
The cattle market.
Even the newspaper.
When Elias entered town, people looked away.
Anna whispered:
"They're afraid."
Elias nodded.
"They should be."
They reached the newspaper office.
The editor, Samuel Price, opened the door.
When he saw the documents, his face went pale.
"I can't print this."
"Why?"
"Hale will kill me."
Elias placed the ledger on the desk.
"Then print it anyway."
Price shook his head.
"You don't understand how much power he has."
Anna stepped forward.
"Marshal Reed died because everyone was afraid."
Price looked at her.
"You saw it?"
She nodded.
"I did."
Price stared at the badge.