She Came to Claim Her Grandfather’s Ranch With Two Children — The Poor Rancher Offered Them a Home
Chapter 6
Silas Crowe climbed slowly.
He wasn’t alone.
Four men followed.
He smiled when he saw Elias.
“You should have left.”
Elias held the ledger.
“You’ve been looking for this.”
“Yes.”
“Then you know what it contains.”
Crowe’s smile faded.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
Crowe raised his pistol.
Anna stepped forward.
“You won’t shoot us in a church.”
Crowe laughed.
“People have died for less.”
Elias moved closer to Anna.
“You’re not taking this.”
Crowe looked at him.
“You still think this is about land.”
“It is.”
“No.”
Crowe’s eyes narrowed.
“It’s about power.”
He revealed something unexpected.
Samuel Whitaker had discovered that Crowe’s family was secretly controlling the river routes and collecting illegal payments from farmers.
The ranch wasn’t merely valuable.
It was the key to exposing the entire network.
Crowe wanted the ledger destroyed.
Elias understood.
“That is why you attacked my family.”
Crowe shrugged.
“Your grandfather was stubborn.”
“And my father?”
“Your father knew enough to be dangerous.”
Elias’s face tightened.
“Did you kill him?”
Crowe didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
Elias lunged.
The two men crashed into the wall.
Anna grabbed the ledger.
She ran toward the stairs.
One of Crowe’s men blocked her.
Suddenly, a stone struck his head.
Matthew stood at the top of the stairs.
He had followed them.
“Matthew!”
Anna screamed.
The boy ran.
Elias knocked the gun from Crowe’s hand.
“Take the children!”
Anna grabbed Matthew.
Rose was already crying below.
They escaped through the church’s side door.
Elias followed.
They ran until they reached the woods.
Crowe’s men stopped at the edge.
They knew the terrain.
Elias led his family through a narrow ravine.
They didn’t stop until nightfall.
Matthew was trembling.
Anna held him.
“You disobeyed me.”
“I wanted to help.”
“You could have been killed.”
“I couldn’t let them take the book.”
Anna hugged him.
“You don’t have to protect us.”
Matthew whispered:
“I want to.”
Elias watched.
The boy had begun calling him “Mr. Boone.”
But something in his expression suggested the distance was disappearing.
They returned to the ranch at dawn.
Elias opened the ledger again.
A final page contained a message from Thomas Boone.
Samuel, if your granddaughter comes, tell her this: the ranch was never sold. I kept it in my name only because Crowe threatened to destroy your family. One day the truth must be returned.
Anna touched the page.
“He saved it.”
Elias nodded.
“My grandfather did.”
“And now?”
Elias looked at her.
“Now it’s yours.”
Anna shook her head.
“I don’t know how to run a ranch.”
“You don’t have to do it alone.”
She stared at him.
“What are you saying?”
Elias looked toward the children.
“I’m saying this ranch needs a family.”
