Chapter 7: The Man Who Wanted Our Land
I drove faster than I should have.
I knew that.
Every mile between the ranch and Victor Hale’s office felt like a mile stolen from the truth.
My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly my fingers hurt, but I didn’t loosen them.
Not after everything I had learned.
Not after hearing my father’s voice from a recorder hidden in an old shed.
Not after finding out my sister had gone straight to the man who had been trying to take our family’s land.
Beside me, Mama sat quietly.
That scared me more than anger would have.
My mother was always the one who filled silence.
She sang while cooking.
She talked to horses like they were people.
She told stories about my father when I needed reminding that he had been more than just a man who worked himself tired.
But now she stared out the window.
Like she was preparing herself for something painful.
“Mama,” I said.
She looked at me.
“I need you to tell me everything.””
Her eyes lowered.
“I know.””
“No more protecting me.””
A small sadness crossed her face.
“You sound like your father.””
“Maybe because he was right.””
She looked back out the window.
“Maybe.””
The word carried a lifetime of regret.
After a few minutes, she finally spoke.
“Your father and Victor Hale’s father knew each other for a long time.””
I listened.
“Back then, this area was different. Smaller. Families helped each other. Land wasn’t just something people bought and sold.””
“What happened?””
“Victor’s father wanted this property.””
“Why?””
Mama hesitated.
“Because of what was found here.””
I glanced at her.
“You keep saying that.””
“Because I still don’t know exactly what it is.””
That bothered me.
“You expect me to believe people have been fighting over something nobody understands?””
“Yes.””
She looked at me.
“Because people have destroyed lives chasing things they don’t understand all the time.””
I thought about Della.
Her fear.
Her choices.
Her desperation.
Maybe that was how people lost themselves.
One compromise at a time.
When we arrived at Victor Hale’s office, Della’s truck was parked outside.
My jaw tightened.
“She wanted me to find her,” I said.
Mama looked at me.
“What makes you think that?””
“Because she knows me.””
I stared at the building.
“Della always runs toward the thing she’s afraid of.””
We entered the office.
The receptionist looked nervous the second she saw us.
“Mr. Wade?””
“Yes.””
She swallowed.
“Mr. Hale is expecting you.””
That stopped me.
“Expecting me?””
She nodded.
“He said you would come.””
My stomach tightened.
Victor Hale wasn’t surprised.
He was prepared.
The receptionist led us into a large conference room.
Della was sitting at the table.
She looked exhausted.
Not guilty.
Not scared.
Exhausted.
Across from her sat Victor Hale.
He was older than I expected.
Silver hair.
Perfect suit.
The kind of man who looked calm because he had spent his entire life making other people panic.
He stood.
“Wade.””
I didn’t shake his hand.
“You know who I am.””
He smiled slightly.
“Of course.””
“Then you know why I’m here.””
“I do.””
Della stood.
“Wade, listen—”
“No.””
I looked at her.
“You already asked me to listen yesterday. Then I found out you were making deals behind my back.””
Her face tightened.
“I was trying to fix this.””
“By selling us?””
Victor stepped in.
“Your sister was trying to save everyone.””
I turned toward him.
“You don’t get to talk about my family.””
His smile disappeared.
Just slightly.
“I think you misunderstand the situation.””
“No. I think I understand perfectly.””
I placed the photograph from my pocket on the table.
The one of Victor’s father standing beside mine.
His eyes changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
“You recognize that?””
Victor looked at the photograph.
“Yes.””
“How?””
“Because my father kept one too.””
Silence.
I looked at Della.
She looked surprised.
“You knew?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Victor walked around the table.
“You think this is about money.””
“Isn’t it?””
“No.””
He looked at me.
“It’s about history.””
I laughed.
“People always say that when they want something they don’t deserve.””
His jaw tightened.
“My family owned this land before yours.””
Mama stepped forward.
“That’s not true.””
Victor looked at her.
“Hazel.””
The way he said her name made my blood run cold.
Not because it was threatening.
Because it sounded familiar.
Too familiar.
“You knew my father,” Mama said.
Victor nodded.
“I did.””
“Then you know what happened.””
His expression changed.
For the first time, the confidence disappeared.
“My father made mistakes.””
“So did mine,” Mama said.
“But your father hid the truth.””
I stepped forward.
“What truth?””
Nobody answered.
Then Della spoke.
“I found out.””
We all looked at her.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“That’s why I signed the agreement.””
My chest tightened.
“Explain.””
She wiped her eyes.
“Victor showed me documents.””
“What documents?””
“Old records. Property records. Things that proved our family might lose the ranch.””
“Might?””
She nodded.
“I thought if I worked with him, I could control what happened.””
I stared at her.
“You made a deal with someone you thought was dangerous?””
“I thought I could handle him.””
Victor gave a quiet laugh.
“She always thought that.””
Della looked at him.
“Don’t.””
And there it was.
The first time I saw fear between them.
Not anger.
Fear.
Victor looked at the three of us.
“You have no idea what your father found.””
“Then tell us.””
He smiled.
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“Why?””
“Because if you knew, you’d understand why this land cannot stay in your family’s hands.””
Mama grabbed my arm.
“Wade.””
But I couldn’t move.
Because I finally understood.
Victor wasn’t trying to buy the ranch.
He was trying to recover something.
Something my father had hidden.
Something my family had protected.
May you like
And whatever it was…
he was willing to destroy us to get it.
