Nora went pale.
Cole looked at her.
"You have it."
She said nothing.
"You have the ledger."
Nora finally nodded.
"It contains every name."
"Every name of what?"
"Every man Rourke paid."
Cole understood.
Politicians.
Sheriffs.
Judges.
Ranchers.
Maybe even federal officials.
"Where is it?"
Nora touched the inside of her coat.
"With me."
The outlaw laughed.
"Then you're already dead."
Cole grabbed his collar.
"Where did they take the women?"
The man pointed west.
"Old mining camp."
Then he smiled.
"You're too late."
Cole released him.
They rode.
By midday, the land became rocky.
The old mining camp appeared between two cliffs.
Smoke rose from the ruins.
Cole stopped.
"How many?"
"At least six," Nora whispered.
Cole studied the buildings.
"We don't go through the front."
Nora smiled.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
They entered through an abandoned tunnel.
Inside, they heard voices.
Evelyn was arguing.
"You promised we'd be released."
A man's voice answered.
"I lied."
Clara shouted.
Then a gunshot.
Nora moved forward.
Cole caught her arm.
"Wait."
He pointed.
Two guards stood near the entrance.
Cole moved silently.
One fell.
Then the other.
Nora stared.
"You could have been a little less frightening."
Cole looked at her.
"Sorry."
They reached the main chamber.
Evelyn and Clara were tied to chairs.
Abigail was beside them.
Silas Rourke stood behind the women.
He held a pistol to Evelyn's head.
"Walker."
Cole stepped into the light.
"Rourke."
"You really came."
"I usually finish what I start."
Rourke smiled.
"Give me the ledger."
Nora stepped beside Cole.
"No."
Rourke looked at her.
"Then one of them dies."
Nora lifted the ledger.
"Take it."
Cole looked at her.
She whispered:
"Trust me."
Rourke reached for it.
Nora threw the book into the fire.
Rourke's expression changed.
"You fool."
Cole fired.
The room exploded into chaos.
The Ledger
The fire spread quickly.
Smoke filled the chamber.
Cole dragged Clara behind a stone wall while Nora cut Evelyn free.
Abigail grabbed a fallen rifle.
"Where's Rourke?"
"Gone," Cole said.
"No," Nora answered.
She pointed toward the tunnel.
"He took the ledger."
Cole stared at her.
"You burned a copy."
Nora smiled.
"Exactly."
She pulled another book from beneath her coat.
Cole laughed.
"You planned that."
"My father taught me never to carry the only copy of anything."
Evelyn coughed.
"Can we discuss this somewhere that isn't burning?"
They escaped the mine just before part of the roof collapsed.
Outside, dawn was breaking.
For the first time in days, they were free.
But only for a moment.
A rider approached from the east.
Sheriff Reed.
He dismounted.
"You're alive."
Cole stared at him.
"Disappointed?"
Reed shook his head.
"You don't understand."
Nora stepped forward.
"You knew my father."
Reed lowered his eyes.
"Yes."
"Did you know he was going to be killed?"
The sheriff said nothing.
Nora's voice hardened.
"Did you?"
Reed finally answered.
"Yes."
She raised her pistol.
Cole caught her wrist.
"No."
"He knew."
"I know."
"He let them kill my father."
Reed looked at Nora.
"I was threatened."
"So was my father."
The sheriff looked broken.
"I was a coward."
Cole released Nora's arm.
Reed continued.
"Rourke owns the county judge. He owns the bank. He owns half the deputies."
"And the other half?" Cole asked.
"Afraid."
Cole looked at the sheriff.
"Then stop being afraid."
Reed laughed bitterly.
"You think courage fixes everything?"
"No."
Cole looked toward the valley.
"But it gives everyone else permission to try."
Reed looked at him for a long moment.
Then he removed his badge.
He handed it to Cole.
"I can't wear this anymore."
Cole didn't take it.
"You can."
Reed looked surprised.
"Then use it."
The sheriff put the badge back on.
And for the first time in years, he stood straight.
A Town Divided
By noon, everyone in Mercy Creek knew.
Rourke had kidnapped the women.
The sheriff had helped them.
And Cole Walker was now standing against the most powerful man in the county.
The town divided itself immediately.
Some believed Cole.
Some believed Rourke.
Most simply wanted to survive.
At the Silver Spur, Rourke sat at a table with six men.
"We kill Walker tonight," he said.
One man shook his head.
"He's too fast."
Rourke looked at him.
"Then shoot him when he isn't."
Another man asked:
"And the women?"
Rourke's eyes hardened.
"They know too much."
Across town, Cole, Nora, Evelyn, Clara, Abigail, and Reed gathered in the church.
Evelyn spread maps across a table.
"My father owned a ranch north of here."
Cole looked at her.
"Your father?"
"He was a banker."
Nora looked surprised.
Evelyn continued.
"He discovered Rourke was moving stolen cattle through our land."
"So he knew," Cole said.
"He knew everything."
"Why didn't he tell anyone?"
"Because Rourke killed him."
Clara spoke quietly.
"All of us lost someone."
Cole looked at the three women.
Then he realized something.
They hadn't been traveling together by accident.
Their fathers had all been connected.
Judge Bell.
Banker Harper.
Rancher Bellamy.
Three men who had tried to stop Rourke.
Three men who were now dead.
The ledger contained more than names.
It contained a map.
A map to Rourke's hidden cattle operation.
And if they could find the stolen cattle, they could prove the land theft.