Something almost painful appeared behind his eyes.
Finally, he said:
“Your husband.”
The Mysterious Cowboy Who Knew Her Dead Husband
Maylin felt the world tilt beneath her feet.
“My husband is dead.”
“I know.”
“You knew Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Gideon glanced toward Shaw and Faun.
“That conversation might be easier after your children have eaten.”
Maylin wanted to shut the door.
Every instinct told her something was wrong.
But then Faun sneezed.
Maylin looked at her daughters’ bare feet.
At the dying fire.
At the food piled inside the wagon.
Pride could not fill an empty stomach.
“You may bring in the food.”
Gideon raised one eyebrow.
“Only the food?”
Maylin noticed Shaw staring at the packages.
“All of it.”
For the first time, Gideon smiled.
“Good.”
Within half an hour, the cabin had transformed.
Gideon carried in firewood first and rebuilt the fire until flames roared inside the stone hearth.
Then came the food.
Coffee began boiling.
Ham hissed in Maylin’s iron skillet.
The delicious smell filled the room so completely that Faun stared at the stove as though witnessing magic.
Gideon carried in one final wooden crate.
Maylin looked at it.
“What is that?”
“I was told not to open it.”
“By Daniel?”
Gideon nodded.
Maylin stared at him.
“How long have you had these things?”
“Some of them almost a year.”
“Why wait until now?”
The cowboy’s eyes moved toward the foreclosure notice on the table.
“Because Daniel told me when to come.”
Maylin followed his gaze.
Her heartbeat changed.
“When?”
Gideon answered quietly.
“When Cyrus Bell tried to take your land.”
Maylin nearly dropped the skillet.
“How do you know about Bell?”
The cowboy’s face became hard.
“Because Bell is the reason your husband died.”
Silence filled the cabin.
Maylin’s hand moved toward Daniel’s revolver.
“What did you say?”
“Daniel wasn’t killed by random thieves.”
“Stop.”
“He discovered something.”
“Stop talking.”
“And Cyrus Bell killed him for it.”
Maylin grabbed the revolver.
Shaw gasped.
Gideon did not move.
Maylin pointed the weapon at his chest.
“You come into my home on Christmas morning and accuse one of the most powerful men in Montana of murdering my husband?”
“I’m not asking you to believe me.”
“Then what exactly are you asking?”
“To believe Daniel.”
Gideon pointed toward the wooden crate.
“There’s something inside for you.”
Maylin slowly opened it.
Inside sat a cedar box.
She knew it immediately.
Daniel had built that box during their first winter together.
A crooked letter H had been carved into its lid.
Maylin had searched for it after his death.
She had never found it.
Her fingers trembled as she opened it.
Inside was an envelope.
