What I just said is about the woman sitting across this table." Clara looked at her hands. Then she looked at him. "All right," she said. "All right," he said.
"All right," she said again. "I hear you." He waited to see if there was more. There wasn't. Not yet.
Some things needed time to settle before you could fully speak them. Both of them knew that. Both of them could wait. But the saying of it had changed the shape of the room, and both of them felt it, and neither of them pretended otherwise. The news that Ethan Callahan had filed a formal complaint against Margaret Caldwell reached town by Tuesday morning.
By Tuesday afternoon, it was all anyone was talking about. By Wednesday, three things happened in in rapid succession that made clear just how seriously Margaret Caldwell was taking the threat. First, Pratt at the general store sent word that Ethan's account had been reinstated and the supply order would be delivered by end of week. No explanation, no apology, just a quiet reversal, the kind you make when you've realized the wind has shifted and you'd rather be on the right side of it. Second, Gruber wrote out to the ranch himself had in hand and sat at the kitchen table and told Ethan that he'd been approached by Harden 6 months back with a proposition pressure.
Callahan encouraged him to sell and there'd be a finder fee when the land transferred. He'd said no, but he'd been scared enough not to say anything either. I should have told you then, Gruber said. He was looking at the table. I'm sorry I didn't.
Why are you telling me now? Ethan asked. Gruber looked up. Because I heard what they're saying about this woman, about Clara. He glanced at her.
And I've got daughters and some things aren't right. He looked back at Ethan. I'll testify if Beckett needs me. Ethan nodded once. I appreciate it.
After Gruber left, Clara looked at Ethan. "That's two witnesses." "Three," he said. Beckett confirmed this morning that Foley is willing to come from Nebraska. "She knows," Clara said.
She knows the case is building. That's why Pratt reversed the account. She's trying to make it look like there was never any problem, like it was all misunderstanding. "Too late for that," Ethan said. Maybe not in her mind.
Clara said she might think if she removes the evidence of interference, the case falls apart. She doesn't know about Foley's letter. She doesn't know how much Beckett has. "Good," Ethan said. Let's keep it that way.