Chapter 17 - The Crime Elias Never Confessed

Elias Torne had not merely benefited from stolen money.

He had stolen some himself.

In 1871, desperate to prevent foreclosure, Elias withdrew six thousand dollars from the newly created Dry Creek trust.

He intended to replace it after the cattle season.

Drought killed half the herd.

He could not.

Wesley Vale discovered the withdrawal.

Before he could report it, Gideon altered the books and created evidence suggesting Wesley had embezzled from three accounts.

Wesley went to prison.

Elias remained free.

Corvin listened without speaking.

Jonah stood beside the fireplace.

Mara remained near the door.

Gideon's voice shook.

"Your father begged me to tell the truth."

"But you didn't."

"No."

"Why?"

"I thought I was saving him."

Corvin laughed once.

"Everyone in this family keeps being saved."

Nobody answered.

"Wesley served six years?"

"Yes."

"And died thinking we ruined his name."

"Yes."

"Martin knows?"

"Probably."

Corvin sat.

The father he had spent years defending was becoming harder to recognize.

Mara walked outside.

Corvin followed.

"You can say it."

"What?"

"That my family deserves what's happening."

Mara looked toward the ridge.

"Families do not deserve things. People make choices."

"My father stole."

"Yes."

"My uncle framed a man."

"Yes."

"My brother helped companies take land."

"Yes."

Corvin stared at her.

"You're terrible at comfort."

"I am not trying to comfort you."

"What are you trying to do?"

"Keep you from becoming useless."

He looked at her.

Mara continued.

"Shame that produces nothing is another kind of selfishness."

Corvin remembered what she said about Helena's anger.

Make it work.

"What would you do?"

"Tell Martin the truth publicly."

"He already knows."

"Not from you."

That mattered.

The next morning Corvin requested a meeting.

Martin agreed at the burned bank.

They stood among blackened shelves.

Corvin handed him Gideon's written confession.

Martin read it.

His face remained still until he reached Wesley's name.

Then his hands trembled.

"Where did this come from?"

"Gideon."

"He admitted it?"

"Everything he remembers."

Martin looked at Corvin.

"You expect gratitude?"

"No."

"What do you want?"

"To restore your grandfather's name."

Martin laughed.

"Twenty years late."

"Yes."

"And then?"

"The records go to federal investigators."

"Along with Elias's theft?"

"Yes."

"Your father becomes a criminal."

"If that's what the record shows."

Martin studied him.

"You'd destroy your own name?"

Corvin looked around the burned bank.

"I think other people already did a fine job of that."

For the first time, Martin seemed uncertain.

Corvin continued.

"But your grandfather being framed doesn't give you ownership of Dry Creek money."

"I never said it did."

"You used it."

"Vane used it."

"You built Red Mesa."

"To take control from him."

"By forging signatures."

"Because no court would reopen old claims."

"So you became Gideon."

Martin's face hardened.

"Don't compare us."

"Why not?"

"He ruined my grandfather."

"And you're willing to ruin people who never met him."

Martin stepped closer.

"You inherited land, cattle, a name."

"I inherited debt and lies."

"You inherited the privilege of discovering your family's crimes slowly."

That struck Corvin.

Martin continued.

"My grandfather came home from prison unable to get work. My father grew up being called a thief's son. I learned what the Torne name bought while ours bought shame."

Corvin did not argue.

Martin had earned his anger.

Just not his crimes.

"What do you want?" Corvin asked.

Martin looked toward Black Ridge.

"Public restoration of Wesley's name. Compensation to his descendants. Destruction of Vane Consolidated. Gideon's conviction."

"Fair."

Martin blinked.

"And?"

"Return the trust."

Silence.

"You'll do that?"

"I don't control it."

"You control the covenant."

"Then help me use it."

Martin laughed softly.

"You think we're partners now?"

"No."

"I forged your name."

"Yes."

"I paid Rourke."

"Yes."

"I ordered Voss to recover the box."

Corvin's eyes hardened.

"Did you order him to shoot Mara?"

"No."

"Ellis?"

"No."

"Gideon?"

"No."

Corvin believed him.

"Then who did?"

Martin looked toward the street.

"Voss stopped taking my orders weeks ago."

"Who pays him?"

"I don't know."

A rifle shot shattered the remaining bank window.

Corvin and Martin dropped.

A second shot struck the wall.

Martin crawled behind the counter.

Outside, hoofbeats disappeared.

Corvin looked at the bullet lodged in timber.

Then at Martin.

Someone had now tried to kill both sides.

Martin whispered, "Voss."

Corvin shook his head.

"No."

"How do you know?"

"Because if Voss wanted us dead, we'd be dead."

Martin looked confused.

Corvin stared at the distant courthouse.

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There was still one person who benefited if every witness destroyed every other witness.

Judge Horace Bell.