“What?”
Raven lowered his voice.
“It was hidden before your father died.”
“Where?”
Raven looked at Mara.
She reached up and touched the edge of her veil.
“It was hidden somewhere no one would think to search.”
Caleb followed her gaze.
The veil.
His expression changed.
“No.”
Mara nodded.
“The truth is beneath this veil.”
That evening, Caleb was given a room in Raven's house.
He sat on the edge of the bed, unable to stop thinking.
His father's death had never made sense.
Officially, Elias Mercer had died in a canyon accident.
That was the story Caleb had been told.
But now he knew there had been something else.
A murder.
A ledger.
A woman named Elena.
And a secret that Mara had carried for years.
A knock came at his door.
Mara entered.
She was still wearing the veil.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“I know.”
She closed the door.
“You asked about the veil.”
“Yes.”
“It isn't what you think.”
“What should I think?”
“That I'm hiding something terrible.”
Caleb stood.
“Are you?”
Mara hesitated.
“Yes.”
He waited.
She slowly lifted her hands toward the veil.
Then stopped.
“I can't show you.”
“Why?”
“Because if you see me, the people hunting this secret will know you have been told everything.”
Caleb frowned.
“How would they know?”
“Because my face is evidence.”
He stared at her.
“What does that mean?”
Mara turned toward the window.
“There was a fire twenty years ago.”
Caleb remained silent.
“My mother died in it.”
“Your father said she was murdered.”
“She was.”
“What happened to you?”
“I survived.”
Caleb looked at the veil.
“Your face was burned?”
Mara said nothing.
He understood.
“You're hiding scars.”
“Yes.”
“And that's why your father wants me to marry you?”
“No.”
She turned toward him.
“My father wants you to marry me because he believes you are the only man left who can finish what your father started.”
Caleb's expression hardened.
“I didn't come here to avenge my father.”
“I know.”
“Then why me?”
“Because the men who killed your father think you know nothing.”
She paused.
“That makes you dangerous.”
Caleb gave a bitter laugh.
“I don't feel dangerous.”
Mara's voice softened.
“You will.”
Outside, a horse screamed.
Both of them turned.
Then came the sound of gunfire.
Mara grabbed Caleb's arm.
“Down!”
The first bullet shattered the window.
Caleb pulled her to the floor.
Another shot struck the wall.
He drew his revolver.
“How many?”
“I don't know.”
“Where's Raven?”
“Outside.”
Caleb moved toward the door.
Mara grabbed him.
“Don't.”
“Why?”
“Because they aren't here for my father.”
She looked into his eyes.
“They're here for you.”
The shooting lasted less than a minute.
But when it stopped, Caleb knew something had changed.
The silence afterward was worse than the gunfire.
He pushed open the bedroom door.
Smoke filled the hallway.
Raven stood at the bottom of the stairs with a rifle in his hands.
Two guards were lying wounded near the entrance.
Caleb rushed down.
“Are they alive?”
“One is.”
Raven pointed toward the western window.
“They came from there.”
Caleb looked outside.
Three horses stood riderless in the snow.
“They left.”
“No,” Raven said.
“They are waiting.”
Mara appeared behind Caleb.
Her voice was barely audible.
“They came for the ledger.”
Caleb turned.
“How?”
She shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Raven looked at her.
“Then someone has betrayed us.”
A silence followed.
Caleb looked from Raven to Mara.
“Who knows about the ledger?”
“Too many people,” Raven said.
“Who knows where it is?”
“Only three.”
Caleb waited.
Raven pointed at himself.
“Mara.”
Then he pointed at Caleb.
“Now you.”
Caleb understood.
“Then one of the three is a traitor.”
Raven nodded.
The wounded guard suddenly spoke.
“Captain Cole…”
Everyone turned.
“What about him?” Caleb asked.
The guard struggled to breathe.
“He…”
Then he collapsed.
Mara rushed to him.
“He's dead.”
Caleb looked toward Raven.
“Where is Cole?”
No one answered.
They found him two hours later.
His horse was lying beside the frozen creek.
Cole was sitting against a tree.
Blood covered his left shoulder.
Caleb approached with his revolver drawn.
Cole laughed weakly.
“If I wanted to kill you, I'd have done it already.”
Caleb lowered the gun slightly.
“Who attacked Raven's house?”
“Men from Black Ridge.”
“Who hired them?”
Cole looked at him.
“You already know.”
“I don't.”
“Then you're still blind.”
Caleb crouched.
“Tell me.”
Cole's eyes moved toward Mara.
“Her uncle.”
Raven stiffened.
“My brother died ten years ago.”
“His son is alive.”
Raven's face became hard.
“Jonah.”
Cole nodded.
“Jonah wants the valley.”
Caleb frowned.
“Why?”
“Water.”
Cole coughed.
“Whoever controls the water controls the valley.”
“And the ledger?”
Cole looked at Caleb.
“Jonah believes the ledger proves Raven stole land from the settlers.”
“Did he?”
“No.”
“Then why would he want it?”
“Because he wants to destroy it.”
Cole closed his eyes.
“And he knows something else.”
“What?”
“Your sister.”
Caleb froze.
“My sister?”
Cole nodded.
“She was here.”
The world seemed to stop.
“Where?”
“Twenty years ago.”
Caleb grabbed Cole's coat.
“Where is she now?”
Cole opened his eyes.
“I don't know.”
“Tell me!”
“I said I don't know.”
Caleb released him.
Cole reached inside his coat.
He pulled out a small silver locket.
“This belonged to her.”
Caleb stared.
He knew it immediately.
His mother had given that locket to his sister.
Inside was a tiny photograph.
Caleb's hands shook.
“Where did you get this?”
Cole looked away.
“I found it after the fire.”
“What fire?”
“The one that killed Elena.”
Caleb looked toward Raven.
Raven's face had become pale.
“You were there,” Caleb said.
Cole nodded.
“I was young.”
“And my sister?”
“I saw her running.”
“Where?”
“Toward the old mine.”
Caleb stood.
“Take me there.”
Cole shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
“I understand enough.”
“The mine collapsed.”
“Then we'll dig.”
“You won't find her.”
Caleb's voice hardened.
“You don't get to decide that.”
He turned toward Raven.
“I need a horse.”
Raven said nothing.
Mara stepped forward.
“I'll go with you.”
Caleb looked at her.
“No.”
“I know the mine.”
“That makes it worse.”
“I've been there.”
“When?”
“Every year.”
“Why?”
Mara touched her veil.
“Because that's where my mother died.”
Caleb stared at her.
Then nodded.