PART 3 — THE WOMAN WHO KNEW HARLON’S SECRET

Harlon reached the rear door before Amily could move.

A woman stood in the snow, clutching a lantern.

Her coat was torn.

Her hair was wet.

And her face was pale with terror.

“Harlon!”

He opened the door.

“Rebecca?”

The woman stumbled inside.

“They’re coming.”

Harlon caught her before she fell.

“Who?”

“Blackwood’s men. They’re coming up the mountain.”

Amily stood beside the fireplace.

“How many?”

Rebecca looked at her.

Then at Harlon.

“Six. Maybe more.”

Harlon closed the door.

“How far behind you?”

“Not far.”

He looked toward the window.

The storm was growing stronger.

But the wind could not hide the sound of distant horses.

Amily clutched the leather packet.

“They’re coming for the deed.”

Rebecca shook her head.

“No.”

She looked at Harlon.

“They’re coming for the mine.”

Harlon turned.

“What do you mean?”

Rebecca reached into her coat and pulled out a folded letter.

“Blackwood knows about the old tunnel.”

Harlon stared at her.

For the first time since Amily had met him, the mountain man’s face showed genuine alarm.

“The tunnel was sealed.”

“Not anymore.”

Rebecca placed the letter on the table.

“Someone opened it last week.”

Amily looked between them.

“What tunnel?”

Harlon did not answer immediately.

Instead, he walked to the bearskin rug and pulled it aside.

The iron ring appeared beneath the floor.

He lifted the trapdoor.

Amily stared down at the stone-lined H๏τ spring.

But Harlon reached beyond the pool and pulled a second iron lever.

A section of the stone wall moved.

Behind it was a narrow pᴀssage.

Amily stepped backward.

“Where does that go?”

Harlon looked at her.

“To the old silver mine.”

Rebecca nodded.

“Your father built it.”

Amily stared at the opening.

“My father?”

Harlon lowered his voice.

“Your father, my father, and Everett Blackwood’s father worked together. They discovered a rich vein of silver beneath the mountain.”

He paused.

“But they never told the company.”

Amily looked at the pH๏τograph.

“The mine belongs to us.”

Harlon nodded.

“Three families. Three equal shares.”

Rebecca stepped closer.

“But when your father died, Blackwood decided he wanted all of it.”

Amily felt the room spinning.

“Why didn’t my father tell me?”

Harlon looked at her.

“Because he knew someone would try to take it.”

Amily clutched the packet.

“And now they have.”

A distant shout came from outside.

Then another.

Harlon closed the trapdoor.

He turned toward Rebecca.

“How did you find us?”

She looked at Amily.

“Because I was the one who sent her the letter.”

Amily froze.

“What letter?”

Rebecca reached into her coat and pulled out a small envelope.

The handwriting was familiar.

Her father’s.

Amily took it with trembling fingers.

She opened it.

Inside was a single page.

My dearest daughter,

If you are reading this, the men who stole our mine have finally found you.

Trust Harlon Creed.

He knows what happened to my father.

And he knows why I was forced to hide the truth.

Amily looked up.

“Harlon?”

The mountain man stood beside the fireplace.

His face had gone pale.

Rebecca whispered.

“Your father didn’t die of illness, Amily.”

The room fell silent.

Harlon slowly turned toward the window.

Outside, the horses were getting closer.

Rebecca continued.

“He was murdered.”

Amily’s knees nearly gave way.

“Who?”

Rebecca looked at Harlon.

And the mountain man finally spoke.

“Everett Blackwood.”

Amily stared at him.

“How do you know?”

Harlon reached into his chest and pulled out a second pH๏τograph.

It showed a younger Harlon standing beside Amily’s father.

But this time, there was a third man.

Everett Blackwood.

And beneath the pH๏τograph was a letter.

A confession.

Harlon placed it on the table.

“Your father gave me this the night before he died.”

Amily looked down.

The letter contained a single sentence.

If I do not survive, Harlon Creed will know who killed me.

Amily’s hands trembled.

“You knew all along?”

Harlon looked at her.

“I knew he was murdered.”

He paused.

“But I never knew his daughter would come to my cabin.”

Outside, a horse stopped.

Then another.

Then six more.

Harlon reached for his coat.

Rebecca grabbed his arm.

“You can’t go out there.”

He looked at her.

“I have to.”

Amily stepped forward.

“No.”

Harlon turned.

She was standing beside the fireplace, her face pale but determined.

“I won’t hide while you fight my battles.”

Harlon studied her.

Then he nodded.

“Then we do this together.”

He handed her the leather packet.

“Keep this safe.”

Rebecca moved toward the hidden pᴀssage.

“There’s another way out.”

Harlon shook his head.

“Not tonight.”

He walked toward the front door.

Amily followed.

But before he could open it, a voice called from the porch.

“Harlon Creed!”

Everett Blackwood.

The man who had stolen Amily’s inheritance.

The man who had murdered her father.

And the man who had just discovered that the secret he buried beneath the mountain was no longer safe.

“Bring me the girl,” Blackwood shouted.

“Bring me the deed.”

Harlon opened the door.

The storm rushed into the cabin.

He stood in the doorway, his mᴀssive frame blocking the light.

And he answered with five words.

“You’ll have to come through me.”

Blackwood laughed.

Then he raised his hand.

Behind him, six riders dismounted.

And one of them stepped forward carrying a small wooden box.

Amily recognized it immediately.

It was her father’s box.

The one she had buried beside his grave.

The one that contained the original mine records.

Her breath caught.

Harlon looked at the box.

Then at Blackwood.

And for the first time, the mountain man understood that the enemy had brought something far more dangerous than a forged deed.

He had brought the truth.

To be continued in Part 4…