Chapter 17 - Safety Deposit Box
The bank refused them at first.
Then Elias produced his mother's death certificate and the key.
The manager checked the records.
"Box 117."
Inside was a packet.
The original ledger.
A stack of letters.
And a photograph of Thomas and Mateo.
But there was something else.
A handwritten confession.
It was from Henry.
Elias read it silently.
Henry admitted that he had sold information to Samuel Vane.
But he claimed he had done it to protect his sister.
He had been threatened.
Then he wrote:
I believed they only wanted the land. I was wrong. They wanted the names.
The names included government officials.
Judges.
Lawmen.
Businessmen.
And one federal officer.
Elias recognized him.
The hidden figure in the photograph.
Colonel Andrew Whitcomb.
Mercer whispered:
"He's still alive."
"Where?"
"Washington."
Nia asked:
"Why would a colonel control a land company?"
Mercer answered:
"Because the land wasn't the final objective."
"What was?"
Mercer looked at the ledger.
"Transportation routes."
Railroad corridors.
Military supply roads.
Mining access.
The land scheme was a strategic operation.
And Elias's ranch sat directly across one planned route.
The ranch wasn't valuable because of what lay beneath it.
It was valuable because of where it stood.
Vane hadn't been hunting treasure.
He had been clearing obstacles.
Elias closed the ledger.
"Then my father knew."
Nia nodded.
"And he died protecting the route."
Suddenly, the bank manager entered.
"I'm sorry."
Elias turned.
"There are armed men outside."
Mercer stood.
"How many?"
"Six."
Nia looked at Elias.
"They've found us again."
The manager whispered:
"They asked for the Carter family."
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Elias picked up the ledger.
"Then let's make sure they don't get it."
