"And the rest?"
"I followed the accounts."
Graves said, "Your interpretation."
Hannah looked at him.
"No."
She tapped the June sale.
"Mercer's signature."
That landed.
For the first time, Calvin Mercer looked directly at Peter.
Peter went pale.
The official asked, "Mr. Whitaker, you have knowledge of this receipt."
Peter stood slowly.
Samuel looked at him.
Hannah did too.
Peter walked forward.
His boots sounded too loud on the floor.
"Yes."
Graves turned.
"Knowledge. How?"
Peter swallowed.
"I found it after my father died."
Mercer's face hardened.
Peter looked toward him once, then away.
"I hid it."
A murmur passed through the benches.
The official frowned.
"Why?"
Peter's hands shook.
Hannah saw him close them into fists.
"Because Mr. Mercer came to the ranch."
Mercer said, "Careful, son."
Nathan moved again.
This time, Hannah did not look at him.
Peter heard the warning in Mercer's voice.
Everyone did.
He stood straighter.
"He told me if I brought out old records, he'd call every note against the Whitaker property and tie the estate in court until we lost it."
Graves said, "Do you have proof of this alleged conversation?"
"No."
Then Peter cut him off.
"But I have the receipt."
He pointed toward the table.
"I knew what it meant."
His voice cracked.
"I knew my sister was right."
Hannah looked down.
Peter continued.
"I also knew somebody had broken into Black Pine looking for her papers."
The room shifted again.
"And I kept quiet because I was scared."
Mercer stood.
"That's enough."
The presiding official struck the desk.
"No, Mr. Mercer. Sit down."
Mercer did not.
For a second, nobody moved.
Then he sat.
Peter looked at Hannah.
Not asking forgiveness.
Not then.
Just telling the truth where it would cost him something.
The hearing lasted another two hours.
By the end, the disputed transfers were frozen, pending full review.
The Black Pine note could not be enforced until its figures were examined against the original lender's records.
The Whitaker claims were reopened.
Mercer was ordered to surrender transaction books connected to the questioned sales.
It was not a clean victory.
Nothing in the West ever seemed to be.
But when Hannah stepped outside, the cold air hit her face like waking.
Snow had begun falling over Boise City.
Men gathered around Nathan almost at once.
"Cole, how'd you catch him?"
"You've been working this long?"
"Black Pine going after damages?"
Nathan looked over the crowd.
Then he looked at Hannah.
She stood several feet away with the document case against her side.
Samuel beside her.
Peter farther back.
Nathan removed his hat.
The men quieted.
"You're asking the wrong person."