Chapter 3 - He Wanted Her to Hate HimEmily read the sentence five times.
Her father wanted her to believe he abandoned her.
Not accidentally.
Deliberately.
Anger replaced shock.
“He wanted this?”
Silas shook his head.
“He wanted you alive.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Laura took the letter.
Her hands trembled as she read.
Daniel explained that he had delivered most of the recovered gold to federal investigators.
But the men pursuing him believed part of it remained missing.
They believed Daniel had hidden it.
He feared anyone close to him would be used to force him back.
So the official story remained simple:
Daniel Carter stole gold and disappeared.
Emily stared at Silas.
“You knew for eleven months that my father was alive.”
“I knew he was alive then.”
“And said nothing.”
“He told me not to.”
“I’m your granddaughter!”
“I know.”
“You watched me hate him.”
Silas closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Laura whispered:
“Silas, you should have told me.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
Silas looked older suddenly.
“He said your phone might be watched. Mail too. He believed the only convincing protection was for both of you to truly think he ran.”
Emily laughed without humor.
“Well, congratulations.”
She stood.
“I believed it.”
She left the house.
Laura called after her.
Emily kept walking.
She went to the barn.
Slammed the door.
And finally cried.
Not because her father was a thief.
Because he was not.
That should have made everything better.
Instead it made every angry thought she had carried for fourteen months feel manipulated.
He had decided for her.
Silas had helped.
Her mother had been kept ignorant.
Everyone had been protecting Emily by making her believe the person she loved most had stopped loving her.
She punched the side of an empty feed bin.
Pain shot through her fingers.
“Emily.”
Silas stood in the doorway.
“Go away.”
“No.”
She turned.
“Did he ever ask about me?”
“Yes.”
“How many times?”
“I only received two messages.”
Emily froze.
“Two?”
Silas reached into his pocket.
“The second came seven months ago.”
Emily stared.
“You kept that too.”
“Yes.”
“Give it to me.”
He did.
The second message was shorter.
Is Emily still riding Jasper?
Emily stopped.
Jasper.
Her old bay gelding.
Daniel knew she rode him every morning after breakfast.
Silas had replied through a coded newspaper classified system Daniel arranged.
Yes. She is angry.
Daniel’s response never came directly.
But two weeks later, another classified line appeared.
Good. Anger keeps her moving.
Emily’s tears returned.
“Idiot.”
Silas said nothing.
“He thought that was enough?”
“He was afraid anything more could expose you.”
Emily looked at him.
“Do you know where he is now?”
“No.”
“Do you know if he’s alive?”
Silas hesitated.
That was answer enough.
Emily sat down.
For the first time, the idea that Daniel might actually be dead entered differently.
Before, she had imagined him wealthy somewhere.
Now she imagined him alone.
Running.
Maybe hurt.
Maybe unable to return.
Silas sat opposite her.
“Victor Raines coming here changes something.”
“What?”
“He believes Daniel can still be reached.”
Emily looked up.
“If Victor thinks Dad is alive…”
“Then maybe he knows more than we do.”
The thought gave her hope.
And immediately made her afraid of it.
Silas continued.
“There were twelve gold bars in the container Daniel found.”
Emily listened.
“He delivered nine.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“And the other three?”
Silas looked toward the ranch yard.
“That’s the reason Victor is here.”
Emily’s pulse increased.
“Where are they?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Dad keep them?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Daniel told me the container was short before he ever touched it.”
Emily frowned.
“Then someone took three bars before Dad found the rest.”
“Yes.”
Victor believed Daniel had them.
The federal agents apparently believed something similar.
And whoever originally hid the gold might believe the same thing.
Three missing bars had kept Daniel away from his family for fourteen months.
Emily wiped her face.
“Then we find them.”
Silas looked at her.
“What?”
“If those bars are why Dad can’t come home…”
She stood.
“We find them.”
Silas shook his head.
“No.”
Emily’s expression hardened.
“You already made one decision for me.”
May you like
She walked past him.
“You don’t get another.”
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