Chapter 25 - What Was Stolen
Months passed.
Courts reopened old cases.
Land titles were reviewed.
Some properties were returned.
Others could not be recovered.
Nia worked with local families to identify old claims.
Elias helped where he could.
The ranch became quieter.
One evening, Nia asked:
"Do you regret helping me?"
Elias smiled.
"Not once."
"You lost your house."
"We rebuilt it."
"You nearly lost the ranch."
"We kept it."
"You nearly died."
Elias laughed.
"Several times."
Nia smiled.
Then she became serious.
"My father wants to leave."
"Where?"
"To live among our people again."
Elias nodded.
"Will you go?"
"I don't know."
Elias looked toward the pasture.
"You should."
Nia studied him.
"You want me to leave?"
"I want you to choose."
She smiled.
"My father taught me that freedom means having a choice."
Elias nodded.
"Then choose what makes you happy."
Nia looked toward the mountains.
"I think I've been running for so long that I don't know what happiness feels like."
Elias answered:
"Maybe you don't have to know yet."
She looked at him.
"Then I'll stay until I figure it out."
For the first time, neither of them was running.
But another letter arrived.
It came from Washington.
The federal investigation had uncovered one final fact.
Colonel Whitcomb had not acted alone.
There was another name.
A name Thomas Carter had never written.
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A name Mateo had never spoken.
And it belonged to someone still living.
