He Came to Redstone to Forget His Past — Then a Dying Sheriff Whispered His Father’s Name
CHAPTER 7
Samuel confessed.
Pike had threatened his family.
He had been forced to reveal information about Caleb.
But he claimed he never knowingly helped kill anyone.
Caleb believed him.
Because Samuel was crying.
And sometimes guilt looked exactly like weakness.
But that night, Samuel disappeared.
A letter remained.
I’m sorry.
The town suspected him.
Caleb didn’t.
He and Clara found him at the abandoned church.
Samuel was holding a box.
Inside was the ledger.
“Why did you bring us here?”
Samuel looked at Caleb.
“Because Pike is coming.”
Gunfire erupted.
The church windows shattered.
Black Spurs surrounded the building.
Samuel looked at Caleb.
“I was wrong.”
Caleb raised his weapon.
“So was I.”
They fought together.
When the shooting stopped, Samuel looked toward the ledger.
“The names.”
Caleb opened it.
Pike.
Judges.
Bankers.
Railroad executives.
Lawmen.
One hundred and seventeen names.
At the bottom was another.
Samuel Mercer.
Caleb looked at him.
Samuel shook his head.
“I never took their money.”
“But your name is there.”
“I know.”
Then Samuel pulled out a second document.
A list of payments.
The final recipient wasn’t Samuel.
It was Gideon Pike.
And the total amount was enormous.
The ledger proved Pike had financed the entire operation.
But Pike had one last card.
He had kidnapped Clara.
