Klondike’s Price
Copyright© 2026 by Heel
Chapter 5: The Flight North
The night Vanessa chose to leave was silent except for the wind sighing against the cabin walls. Bill slept deeply, his arm flung across the blanket, his breathing steady and calm.The gold pouch hung where it always did—just within reach.
She had rehearsed the moment in her mind a hundred times, but now her hands shook. The firelight made her shadow tremble on the wall as she moved toward him.
Her fingers brushed the leather pouch. It was heavier than she had imagined. A single breath, and it would be done. Yet in that breath she hesitated—because he stirred. His eyes opened, confused, then understanding began to form.
“Vanessa?”
Her heart leapt to her throat. In the scramble that followed, she reached for the revolver lying on the table. The next sound split the night—loud, echoing through the valley.
For an instant the whole cabin was filled with silence so deep it felt alive. Bill looked at her—not angry, not even afraid, only astonished. Then he fell back, the air leaving his chest in one long, broken breath.
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