No. the visions she had was of him leaving the bank. “Oh, God!” she pulls on her undergarments and travel dress, socks, and boots then runs a brush through her hair. Next, she twists her hair up and secures it in a bun before swiftly moving to the service bell.
“I need a carriage ready immediately to take me to Wells Bank.” An image of Dalton being shot repeats in her mind. Oblivious to how she appears, she runs for the elevator. She rushes through the lobby and into the courtyard and runs to the waiting carriage.
“How fast can you get me to Wells Bank,” Cassie demands holding a twenty-dollar bill.
“Since you put it like that, climb up front. We will be faster if you are up here.” The young man waits until she is seated taking the money and they shoot out of the courtyard and into the street. Cassie holds on for dear life as he maneuvers through Market Street like a pro.
Solomon rides hard pushing the fresh horse all night. He is ten hours ahead of his tail. Jeff will shake him and meet him at the dig. He rides straight to Wells Bank. Dirty, dusty and determined Solomon skips the lobby and knocks hard on Harry Well’s office door. He doesn’t wait long before he tosses the door open.
Harry smiles and leans back, ignoring the outraged gasp from Mr. Edwards. “Sir, we are in a private...” he starts to say, but Harry cuts him off.
“Solomon, I see you made it back in record time.” He rises up to greet his old friend.
“Harry, we need to talk,” Solomon demands and walks over to the bar to pour himself a whiskey.
“Gentlemen, I have a pressing matter here that needs my attention, we can finish after lunch. Dalton, you will want to stay for this.” Harry suggests.
Solomon turns at this and takes a good look at Dalton, while Harry closes the door behind the retreating men.
“Dalton Rivers, meet Solomon Abbott, Surveyor. I sent Solomon to Wolfe Ranch to survey the mine for us. Did you get the other information I requested,” Harry inquires?
Solomon shakes his head and tosses a small bag tied with a string to Harry. Inside is pure gold dust. “That vein is pure alright. Though the townsfolk are trying their best to strip it.” Solomon smiles with a glint in his eye. “They are looking in the wrong place. It should be a six-month job. The same crew I had last time, Harry.”
“What of Cassandra Wolfe’s history?” Dalton asks.
“You are gonna need to top me off for this, and get one for yourselves,” Solomon says darkly. “My source tells me that the Wolfe family was sharing in the profits of the mine with the town, but what her family didn't know is that it was being stolen from them. Any who opposed met with accidents.”
“Eustace and Aiden Daniels, banker and son. They own the town.” Solomon stomps to the bar thinking of Willow’s bruised face and the weeping.
He turns back, furious now. “They are animals who murder for sport, Harry. Her family was executed, one at a time.”
Dalton sits heavily and listens.
“It gets worse. This Eustace brings woman and children from local Indian villages or indentured servants from San Francisco to torture for pleasure. They never last long. The sheriff said they were forced to participate, or they would kill his wife and son. It’s a miracle Ms. Wolfe lasted as long as she did.”
“Cassie told me she blew the mine, if that's true, how's it still a pure vein?” Dalton asks.
“She did a number on the house, but she only helped us by blowing the mine, it will make it easier to break the ore up for processing. What she did do, was stop Eustace. He's recovering, and the other five didn't make it out alive. Aiden, his son, is about eight hours behind me. He's coming for her.”
“He won’t ever touch her again.” Dalton snarls. “We need to get all this paperwork finished up, Harry.”
“I agree, it's time for you to go.” Harry sorts through a pile of papers on his desk.
Cassie can see the bank, but the crowded streets won’t allow the carriage through.
“Just stop, I can run the rest of the way.” She is leaping down before he can say anything else. In her mind, she keeps seeing Dalton, falling forward with that empty look in his eyes. Using her shoulder, she forces her way through the crowd and down the street. Arriving at the bank a shadow passes in front of her and she looks up, her heart almost stops.
Jeb Williams smiles at her through his dirty, broken teeth. “Where you off to in such a hurry, Mrs. Rivers?”
Cassie spins to move and finds his brother, Boomer blocking her path. “We were just looking for you.” Boomer smiles and grabs her arm. Jeb grabs the other arm, and she starts to struggle.
“Release me!” she screams, but no one stops to help.
They quickly drag her into the alleyway beside the bank. “No one cares, Mrs. Rivers. We can do whatever we want to, and no one will try to stop us!” Boomer releases her arm and laughs, while Jeb throws her against the brick wall.
Cassie sees stars for a second when her head thuds into the brick behind her. Jeb steps in at her, and she brings the flat of her palm upward, striking him in the nose. She's rewarded with a sick crunch of splintered bone and blood erupts down his face. He screams, falling to the ground. Using her surprise advantage, she runs towards the busy street, screaming for help.
“Get her, Boomer!” Jeb screams, holding his bloody nose and picking himself up off of the dirty brick
