The badge was silver.
The man wearing it introduced himself as Deputy Marshal Nathan Hale.
He was perhaps forty-five, narrow-faced, windburned, with a dark mustache and the weary posture of someone who had spent too many days in a saddle.
Elias remained in the doorway.
Dileia stood several feet behind him.
Hale removed his hat.
“Cold day.”
“It is.”
“Mind if I come inside?”
“Yes.”
Hale raised an eyebrow.
Elias did not move.
“You Elias Carr?”
“You already know I am.”
The marshal looked past him again.
“And that must be Dileia.”
Her shoulders tightened.
Hale said, “Dileia Mercer?”
“No.”
“Dileia Hart?”
“No.”
“Just Dileia?”
“Yes.”
“That complicates paperwork.”
Elias leaned against the doorframe.
“You rode twelve miles into the mountains to discuss paperwork?”
Hale sighed.
“Silas Croft claims she tried to kill him.”
Dileia whispered, “Claims?”
The marshal heard.
“He survived.”
Her face lost all color.
Elias stepped slightly sideways, blocking Hale's view.
“How bad?”
“Knife wound. Nearly killed him.”
“Nearly isn't dead.”
“No.”
“Then why attempted murder?”
Hale looked at Elias.
“Because that's generally what stabbing a man under the ribs is called.”
Elias's voice hardened.
“Depends why she stabbed him.”
Hale's eyes narrowed.
“I'd like to hear that.”
Dileia spoke from behind Elias.
“He was going to kill me.”
The marshal looked toward her.
“Can you prove it?”
Her silence answered.
Hale continued.
“Croft says you stole money.”
“I didn't.”
“He says you attacked him while he slept.”
“He was awake.”
“He says you were under legal employment contract.”
“I never signed anything.”
Hale rubbed his jaw.
“There are documents.”
“Forged.”
“Can you prove that?”
Again, silence.
Dileia's breathing quickened.
Elias looked at Hale.
“You arresting her?”
“I haven't decided.”
“You came here with a warrant?”
“No.”
“Then you can leave.”
Hale's expression tightened.
“Carr, don't make this harder.”
“I'm not.”
“Yes, you are.”
Elias stepped outside and pulled the door closed behind him.
Now they stood face-to-face in the snow.
Hale lowered his voice.
“You know who Croft is?”
“I've heard.”
“Then understand something. He's rich enough to make men remember things his way.”
“And you?”
“I remember what I see.”
That answer surprised Elias.
Hale looked toward the cabin.
“I don't believe every word Croft told me.”
“Why not?”
“Because men who are nearly murdered usually want justice.”
“And Croft?”
“He wants property.”
Elias's eyes hardened.
“Meaning?”
“He didn't ask that Dileia be tried.”
Hale paused.
“He asked that she be returned to his custody.”
Elias gave a humorless laugh.
“That's not happening.”
“I thought you'd say that.”
Hale looked toward the ridge.
“Which is why I'm warning you.”
“Warning me about what?”
“Croft isn't waiting for courts.”
Elias stared.
“He's coming?”
“Not today. Maybe not tomorrow.”
“How many men?”
“Enough.”
“Why tell me?”
Hale looked tired.
“Because I have a daughter.”
That was all.
He mounted his horse.
“Marshal.”
Hale glanced down.
“If she killed him defending herself, can you prove it?”
“No.”
“Then law won't help.”
“Not quickly.”
“What will?”
Hale's expression darkened.
“Witnesses.”
“What witnesses?”
“Find someone who saw how Croft treated her. Someone willing to testify.”
Elias looked toward the cabin.
“That simple?”
“No.”
Hale adjusted his reins.
“Nothing involving Silas Croft is simple.”
He rode away.
Inside, Dileia had not moved.
“He's alive,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
“I should leave.”
“No.”
“Elias—”
“No.”
Her eyes flashed.
“You don't own me.”
He stopped.
“No.”
“Then don't tell me what I can do.”
“You're right.”
He removed his coat and hung it beside the door.
“You can leave.”
Dileia looked stunned.
“But if you're asking whether leaving is smart, it isn't.”
“Why?”
“Because Croft's already found you.”
She crossed her arms.
“He found me because I'm here.”
“No. Hale found you because somebody in Dry Creek talked. Wherever you go next, Croft will follow.”
“So what do I do?”
Elias looked at her.
“Stop running.”
Dileia laughed bitterly.
“Easy for you.”
“No.”
His voice lowered.
“Not easy.”
Something in his expression stopped her.
Elias went to the table.
“I ran for ten years.”
“From what?”
“Myself, mostly.”
He sat.
“Didn't work.”
Dileia remained standing.
“I don't know how to fight a man like Silas.”
“Neither do I.”
“You were a soldier.”
“Soldiers don't fight rich men with lawyers.”
“Then what are you suggesting?”
“We find someone who knows what he did.”
Dileia shook her head.
“People who worked for Silas were scared of him.”
“So were you.”
“And I ran.”
“You also stabbed him.”
She stared.
Elias shrugged.
“That suggests fear isn't the only thing you're capable of.”
She almost smiled.
They began with Abel.
Three days later, as soon as the trail became passable, Elias and Dileia rode into Dry Creek.
The Golden Spur went quiet when they entered together.
Abel saw Dileia and swore.
“You've got nerve.”
Elias leaned on the bar.
“We need information.”
“I need you gone.”
Dileia stepped forward.
“Did Silas come here?”
Abel's face changed.
That was answer enough.
“When?” she asked.
“Week ago.”
“What did he want?”
“You.”
Elias said, “What did you tell him?”
Abel looked irritated.
“That I sold you to him.”
Dileia flinched.
Elias's jaw hardened.
Abel rolled his eyes.
“Don't look righteous, Carr. It's the story you gave me.”
“You knew I freed her.”
“I knew you paid two dollars.”
“Did you tell Croft where I lived?”
Abel looked away.
Elias moved.
He did not hit him.
He simply reached across the bar, grabbed Abel's collar, and pulled him close.
Every man in the room went still.
“Did you?”
Abel swallowed.
“Yes.”
Dileia closed her eyes.
Elias released him.
Abel stumbled back.
“He offered fifty dollars.”
“You sold our location for fifty dollars?”
“That's business.”
Dileia laughed.
The sound surprised everyone.
Abel glared.
“What?”
She looked at him.
“You told me I was worth two.”
His face reddened.
Dileia continued.
“Turns out information about me was worth twenty-five times that.”
A few patrons chuckled.
Abel slammed his palm down.
“Get out.”
Dileia did not move.
“Did you ever see Silas hurt me?”
Abel's expression shifted.
“No.”
“You're lying.”
“Prove it.”
“You saw him in Red Bluff two years ago.”
Abel looked toward Elias.
“She making this up?”
Dileia stepped closer.
“You were there when he broke Marta's hand.”
Abel went silent.
Elias noticed.
“Who's Marta?”
Dileia's voice softened.
“A woman who worked in his boarding house.”
“Alive?”
“I don't know.”
Abel cursed under his breath.
“Where is she?”
Dileia demanded.
“I don't know.”
“You do.”
“No.”
Elias moved closer.
Abel sighed.
“Last I heard, she married a blacksmith in Oak Valley.”
Dileia's eyes widened.
Oak Valley was two days south.
“Would she talk?”
Abel laughed.
“If she remembers you.”
“She will.”
Elias looked at Dileia.
“We leave tomorrow.”
But they never reached Oak Valley.
That night, staying above the Dry Creek livery, Elias woke to smoke.
He sat upright.
Firelight flickered beneath the door.
“Dileia!”
She woke instantly.
The hallway outside roared.
Someone had set fire to the stairs.
Elias kicked open the window.
“Roof.”
Dileia stared down.
“That's thirty feet.”
“Then don't miss.”
He climbed onto the awning.
His hip screamed.
Dileia followed.
They dropped to a lower roof, then into a pile of hay behind the stable.
Men shouted nearby.
A bullet struck the wall.
Elias pulled Dileia behind a wagon.
“Was that Silas?”
“I don't know!”
Another shot.
Elias peered around the wheel.
Two riders waited in the alley.
One called out:
“Croft says this is your warning!”
Then they disappeared.
By morning half the livery had burned.
No one was killed.
Elias knew that had been intentional.
Silas was sending a message.
Dileia stood in the ashes.
“This is because of me.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
She turned on Elias.
“You almost burned alive.”
“So did you.”
“Because I stayed.”
“Because Croft decided to set a building on fire.”
“Stop doing that!”
“Doing what?”
“Making everything his responsibility so I don't have to feel guilty!”
Elias stared.
Dileia's eyes filled.
“People get hurt around me.”
“People get hurt around bad men.”
“And if you'd never met me?”
“I would've gone home with whiskey.”
“You'd be safe.”
“Probably.”
She shook her head.
“You should hate me.”
Elias's expression softened.
“I don't.”
“Why?”
He looked at her for a long time.
Then said quietly:
“Because when I look at you, I don't see what happened to me.”
Dileia stopped breathing.
“I see what I survived.”
He turned away before she could answer.
That afternoon, Deputy Marshal Hale returned.
His face was grim.
“You need to leave Dry Creek.”
Elias nodded.
“Planning on it.”
“No.”
Hale looked toward Dileia.
“You need to leave the territory.”
“Why?”
Hale pulled a folded paper from his coat.
“Croft has a warrant now.”
Dileia stared at it.
“For me?”
“Yes.”
Elias took the paper.
Attempted murder.
Theft.
Destruction of property.
Fraud.
Every accusation Silas could manufacture.
At the bottom was a judge's signature.
Hale said, “He's coming north with six armed men.”
“When?”
“Three days, maybe four.”
Dileia whispered, “Marta.”
Elias looked at her.
“If Marta testifies?”
Hale's expression remained doubtful.
“It could change everything.”
“Then we go south.”
Hale shook his head.
“Croft knows about Marta.”
Dileia went cold.
“How?”
“Someone rode toward Oak Valley this morning.”
Silence.
Elias looked at the road south.
They were already behind.
Then Dileia made a decision.
“We don't run to Marta.”
Elias looked at her.
“What?”
“We make Silas come to us.”
---