She Came to Claim Her Grandfather’s Ranch With Two Children — The Poor Rancher Offered Them a Home
Chapter 9
Elias rode through the night.
He carried no rifle.
Only the original deed.
The old mill stood beside the river.
Inside, Anna sat tied to a chair.
Matthew and Rose were nearby.
Silas Crowe stood behind them.
“You came.”
Elias dismounted.
“Let them go.”
Crowe smiled.
“Give me the deed.”
Elias held it up.
“You get this after they’re safe.”
“No.”
Crowe pointed a pistol at Matthew.
Elias froze.
“Now.”
He handed over the deed.
Crowe examined it.
For the first time, genuine relief appeared on his face.
Then he laughed.
“You really thought I’d let you walk away?”
Elias looked at Anna.
She shook her head slightly.
A warning.
Crowe ordered his men to burn the mill.
Oil had already been poured across the wooden floor.
Elias understood.
Crowe didn’t merely want the deed.
He wanted everyone dead.
One of the men struck Elias.
He fell.
Anna screamed.
Matthew kicked the chair beside him, knocking a lantern onto the floor.
Flames erupted.
Chaos followed.
Elias rolled away.
He grabbed a fallen pistol.
He fired into the ceiling.
The gunshot startled the horses outside.
They broke loose.
The mill doors burst open as frightened animals crashed through the yard.
Crowe’s men scattered.
Elias reached Anna.
He cut her ropes.
“Children!”
Matthew and Rose ran toward them.
The four escaped through a side passage.
Crowe followed.
He raised his pistol.
Elias turned.
Crowe fired.
The bullet struck the wooden post beside Elias.
Elias tackled him.
They crashed onto the riverbank.
Crowe drew a knife.
Elias caught his wrist.
“You killed my father.”
Crowe smiled.
“He deserved it.”
Elias nearly lost control.
Then Anna shouted:
“Elias!”
He looked back.
The children were watching.
He released Crowe.
The sheriff arrived with armed men.
Crowe was arrested.
But the sheriff looked at Elias.
“This isn’t finished.”
“What do you mean?”
“Pike is dead.”
Elias froze.
“Dead?”
“He was found this morning.”
Anna closed her eyes.
Crowe had planned ahead.
But before Pike died, he had given the sheriff something.
A letter.
It named every official Crowe had bribed.
Every farm he had taken.
Every man he had paid to threaten the Whitakers.
And one final revelation.
The letter stated that Elias’s father was alive.
Living under another name.
In Pennsylvania.
Elias stared at the paper.
Anna took his hand.
“You should find him.”
He looked at her.
“And leave you?”
“No.”
She smiled through tears.
“We’ll go together.”
Elias squeezed her hand.
For the first time, the word “family” no longer felt like something he had inherited.
It felt like something he had chosen.
