Chapter 6

Julie and Candy left the hotel, they were planning a visit, it had been about 3 days since they saw Abby and they wanted to tell her what they had found out about her piece of land. They also wanted to help her be able to keep her farm as well. Candy had talked this over with Jeremy and Jeremy was okay with it but was as usual distracted because he was worried about his brother. He and Joshua had decided to get together with Jason and try to get to the bottom of this investing thing. They both had a bad feeling and wanted to do something to make things right. So, while the ladies went to visit, they took Jason and went for a ride around the town and up to the farm, to take a look at it.

"Candy, Julie, I am so glad you could come today. I baked some bread fresh and made some homemade butter. My cow, Tulip, gives good milk and her butter is just the creamiest, if I do say so myself!" Abby said as they went to sit on the porch and have a little time in the shade.

"Abby," said Julie, "do you know how much your farm is worth?"
"No, not really, I think my parents paid $1.25 an acre and actually, there are 360 acres. They had to file a homesteading patent and then I think they got the paperwork from the government, but I never saw it."

"We looked at the deeds at the sheriff's office, but he said that there had been a fire and that the original deeds were destroyed." Said Candy,

"The original deeds were destroyed but I had my lawyers look up the record of homesteading here and there doesn't seem to be any record of your parents purchasing the land?" said Julie.

Abby looked at them and then said:

I think my mother had a tin box she kept above the mantle of the fireplace. I will be right back. Abby went to get the tin box. She found it and brought it out to them. Opening the box, she found something that she had forgotten. It was a small brooch that had belonged to her mother. She looked at it and felt like crying. She really missed her mother. She looked at some papers. Then found an envelope at the bottom of the box. She took it out and opened it up.

"It's the deed!" They all said unanimously.

Meanwhile, just behind a hill Tack was putting his surveying equipment up and then using the map to find the entrance to the so-called silver mine. He had just about found what he thought would be the entrance and started to move the bushes and pulled some brambles off the side of the hill. The Bolts had been riding around looking at the land. There wasn't much that was worth farming let alone trees for logging. There were trees but most of them had dried up and some had even died. The lack of water in that area was prevalent.

"Jason let's stop and just rest for a while. I want to talk to you about this investment you are planning." Joshua said as he got off his horse and took a drink of water and gave his horse some water as well. Jeremy also got off his horse and Jason did the same. Always one ready with answers and plans, Jason began:

"Look, Josh and Jeremy, I know why you brought me out here but honestly don't you think this is a good investment. This little town here will provide lots of work for our loggers and friends and we can expand the Bolt Logging company as well. Just look at the…" He took a look around and saw a few trees but in the distance he could see more trees or what he thought were trees.

"Yes, just look at those trees in the distance, why we could create an empire!" Jason finished and stood looking to the horizon. Both Joshua and Jeremy hesitated and finally Jeremy said picking his words carefully:

"J-j-Jason, you know we have a lot of work in Seattle, I know that Candy doesn't mind if we move, she is fine and I think an extra office would be great, but so far I haven't seen anything like a bustling metropolis?" Joshua chimed in:

"To be honest Jason, this will be like beginning all over again and I for one don't want to start again. It was tough enough with mom and dad gone, but Jeremy has a family, I am looking to start my own family and frankly, Jason, don't you think you should try and settle down as well?" Joshua said as he looked at the dry ground wondering how a farm could survive without water.

Jason said: "I know it is like starting all over again, but don't you see that perhaps that is a good thing?" CRACK! They all looked to where the sound came from. Behind the hill another CRACK! And POP! They all ran towards the top of the hill. They saw a man, lighting a stick of dynamite and throwing it towards a opening in the side of the hill. They ducked as the explosion caused a burst of dirt and debris to fly towards them.

He was just about to take another stick and light it when Jason rushed forward and took it out of his hands. Jeremy and Joshua were right behind Jason and were ready to help if needed.

"What the Sam Hill are you doing!" Said the man who was angry.

"I am stopping you from hurting anyone!" Said Jason who finally let him go.

"And who are you to do this?" said Tack.

"Who are you?" said Jason.

"My name is Tack Dawson, I am a surveyor and was just fixing up a little bit of this hill. I work for the Monroe Company."

Jason looked at the man, there was something odd about him using dynamite for a surveying expedition. He thought to himself, if he was a surveyor, where is his partner?

"The company asked me to survey this land, we will be purchasing at the end of this month, plot out where things would go and how much more we would need. You wouldn't happen to be a few of the investors would you? Said Tack posing as the surveyor he said he was. "I would greatly appreciate your help? You know my partner went back into town and it seems he has not come back, but if you would like you can help me?"

Jeremy and Joshua looked at him, they too thought that something wasn't quite right. Jason made a decision without consulting his brothers and said:
"Sure we would be glad to help. What can we do?" Both Jeremy and Joshua looked at Jason and realized that something was definitely wrong with this situation. They both silently thought the same thing and decided to see if they could get Jason to leave.

"Hey Jason, didn't you say we needed to get back, I know I need to get back Candy wants me to watch Annie." Jeremy said looking to Joshua for help.

"Jason, I need to get to the bank about that payroll we are working on for the business." Joshua said as he went to the horses and started to pack his stuff. Jason saw that they did not want to help this person but he himself wanted to find out why this person was here on this piece of land.

"Okay, you two go back, I will be along shortly. I will meet you at the hotel lobby in about an hour!" Jason said with his usual smile. There was nothing for Joshua and Jeremy to do but to leave Jason alone. They left on their horses but were concerned wondering what Jason had in mind. After they were out of sight Jeremy slowed down and so did Joshua.

"What is it, Jeremy?" said Joshua.

"I don't know, I have a feeling though that Jason might be in trouble. I wonder if we shouldn't just double back to check and be sure?"

Joshua thought about it and then said: "I think you are right, Isn't Candy supposed to be at the farm house about now?"
"Yes, I think so? Why?" Jeremy did not want Candy to get involved because he wanted her to be safe and she had the baby at this time as well.
"Well, if you head to the farm house check on Candy and Julie then in about 20 minutes, if I haven't showed up, come and get me and send Candy and Julie to the sheriffs office." Joshua said. He was hoping the sheriff would be able to help if there was trouble but he wasn't sure. But if Candy knew that Jeremy was in trouble that sheriff would have no problem but come out anyway. Joshua chuckled to himself at that thought.

Jeremy agreed and headed to the farmhouse. Meanwhile Jason and Track were putting some surveying equipment on the horse. Track decided that he was done for the day so, instead of causing a scene he had Jason help him put things away. He was careful to watch Jason to be sure that he did not see anything suspicious.

"Well, I want to thank you for helping me, I hope your investment goes well." Said Tack as he stroked his beard.

Jason nodded as he tightened up the straps that held the equipment on the horse. Tack then mounted and tipped his hat and left. He rode a ways and then doubled back to see if Jason was still there. Jason had not gotten on his horse yet but was looking around at the holes in the ground when he noticed a structure that was hidden behind a bush. His brother Joshua rode up and said that Jeremy needed him back tat the hotel. Jason shot Joshua a questioning glance at Joshua but did not want to say anything just yet about what he found. Track rode up and saw both of them standing there talking.

"I am sorry, I left something behind" tack said as he got off his horse and strode over to the entrance to the mine shaft and picked up the notebook he had purposefully left. He noticed that it had not been touched so he felt that Jason had not seen it.

Jason shot Joshua a glance and then got on his horse and said goodbye to Tack and rode off with Joshua following close behind. Tack stayed awhile and then went to check to see if the mine shaft had been discovered. He knew if he had been a little later Jason may have found the shaft and he would have had to kill him. Shaking his head, he gathered his things went to his horse and headed back to town.