Truth Be Told by Carol Cox

be something more to explain his antagonism. Even on the day of her arrival, he had intimated that something was wrong with the company—something his successor must bring to light. What could it be?
    The question stirred her journalistic instincts. She tilted her head and regarded the back issues she had just read. What sparked the drive for her father to print these pieces? She knew her father’s methods—he wouldn’t have written something like this without compiling a file containing notes, research, and a list of sources.
    Maybe these columns were meant to spark interest throughout the community, laying the groundwork before making his full case against Great Western. Amelia paced the office from one end to the other, thoughts flying through her mind at a rapid pace. If she could find his notes and piece them together, she could discover the truth her father sought and make it known. It would be a fitting way to carry on his legacy.
    And it might provide exactly the boost the Gazette needed to sell more papers. A sense of elation swelled within her. Maybe she had struck gold, after all.

Chapter 5
    B en, could you step in here for a moment?”
    Ben Stone lifted his head at the sound of Owen Merrick’s voice and got to his feet. “I’ll be right there, sir.”
    He straightened his tie, slicked back his hair with the palms of his hands, pulled his jacket from its resting place on the back of his chair, and slipped it on as he crossed the distance to Merrick’s office with quick strides. A summons to his boss’s inner sanctum didn’t happen every day.
    After three months in the employ of Great Western, he still felt as if he was trying to find his place within the company. His work was beyond reproach—he took pains to make certain of that—but for all his striving, he’d never received the level of trust Merrick gave Eddie Franklin, his co-worker.
    It wasn’t for lack of trying, though. Ever since his arrival in Granite Springs, he’d done his best to negotiate land purchases. Was it Ben’s fault if few of the locals seemed interested in selling? Franklin seemed to have found a way to make some inroads, though. How he managed it, Ben didn’t know, but his success along that line made him Merrick’s favored employee, to the point that Ben found himself relegated more toresearching ownership and writing up contracts. Little more than a clerk. His lips twisted at the idea.
    A new thought struck him, and his steps slowed as he reached the doorway. Could something be wrong? A knot tightened in his stomach. As hard as he worked, he still had a lot to learn about Great Western’s business. Had he unwittingly committed some infraction? And if so, would he merely be reprimanded, or sent packing? Please, not that! The idea of returning to the East wasn’t a possibility he wanted to entertain.
    Pausing only long enough to breathe a quick prayer and compose his features before crossing the threshold, he stepped inside. “Yes, sir?”
    Owen Merrick looked up from behind his gleaming mahogany desk and waved Ben to a wooden chair facing him. Ben took the seat indicated and settled back against the uncomfortable wooden slats, trying to appear more at ease than he felt.
    His employer leaned back in his black leather chair and regarded Ben with a thoughtful gaze. “How do you like it out here, son?”
    Ben blinked at the unexpected question. “It’s a fine place. I’m very happy to be here.”
    â€œYou aren’t homesick for the East? Granite Springs is a nice enough spot, but it certainly doesn’t have the amenities you grew up with in your father’s home.”
    Ben swallowed hard. From the line his employer was taking, it sounded like the ax was about to fall, and he couldn’t imagine why. He scrambled to think of any mistakes he might have made. What could he have done wrong? And once that was made clear,