The letter was incomplete.
Only one paragraph remained.
Takakota, I know what they have threatened. I know Samuel believes he is protecting me, but he does not understand. I would rather leave everything behind than live knowing—
The sentence ended there.
Elias closed his eyes.
Ayanna sat beside him.
"He loved her," Elias whispered.
"Your father?"
"Yes."
"And she loved him."
Elias nodded.
"Then why did Samuel hate him?"
Ayanna did not answer.
Because neither of them knew.
Not yet.
They continued north.
Two days later, they reached White Mesa.
But they were not alone.
Scouts reported twelve armed riders approaching from the east.
At their head was an old man riding a gray horse.
Elias knew him immediately.
Samuel Turner had come.
Samuel stopped beyond rifle range.
His eleven riders spread behind him.
Elias stood on the opposite side of the valley.
Between them lay open desert.
Samuel raised both hands.
"I came to talk."
Elias laughed bitterly.
"You brought eleven guns."
"This country encourages caution."
"You know where you are?"
Samuel looked toward the cliffs.
"Yes."
"You knew White Mesa existed."
"Yes."
"And Takakota?"
Samuel said nothing.
That silence answered more than words could have.
Elias walked forward.
Ayanna caught his arm.
He gently removed her hand.
"Stay here."
Samuel's eyes moved to her.
Then to the silver hawk around Elias's neck.
His expression changed.
Only for a second.
But Elias saw it.
"You recognize this."
Samuel swallowed.
"Yes."
"Tell me his name."
"You already know it."
"I want to hear you say it."
Samuel looked toward the cliffs.
There was nowhere left to hide.
"Takakota."
"My father?"
Samuel closed his eyes.
"Yes."
The answer struck Elias harder than any bullet could have.
All his life he had imagined his father as a stranger.
A coward.
A man who had abandoned his mother.
Now he knew that man had been real.
He had loved Clara.
He had stayed.
And Samuel had lied.
"Why did my mother lie?"
"She didn't."
Elias frowned.
Samuel looked directly at him.
"I lied."
The words were almost impossible to hear.
"I told you your father abandoned you."
"Why?"
"Because I thought it would keep you alive."
Elias stepped closer.
"Did you kill him?"
Samuel stared at him.
"Yes."
The valley became completely silent.
Ayanna inhaled sharply.
Apache warriors raised their rifles.
Neheni lifted one hand.
Wait.
Elias's vision narrowed.
Samuel.
The man who had taught him to ride.
The man who had carried him when he was injured.
The man who had sat beside Clara's coffin.
The man who had murdered his father.
"Why?"
Samuel swallowed.
"Because I was afraid."
Elias almost laughed.
"That's your answer?"
"It is the truth."
"Afraid of what?"
"Of losing everything."
Then Samuel told him.
Years earlier, Samuel had worked for the railroad syndicate.
He had not begun as a killer.
He had been a clerk.
He moved numbers from one page to another.
He recorded shipments.
He processed payments.
He told himself that paperwork was not blood.
He told himself he was only doing a job.
Then he discovered where the money went.
He saw payments made to raiders.
He saw false military reports.
He saw names of men who were supposed to be investigating the violence receiving money from the same companies that benefited from it.
Samuel wanted to leave.
But by then, leaving was not an option.
The syndicate threatened him.
Then they threatened Clara.