A rifle beside the door.
He helped Hannah inside.
“I'll cut the sack.”
She stiffened.
“I'll stand behind you.”
He approached.
The twine had dug into the burns around her neck.
She flinched when his knife touched it.
Cole stopped.
“Sorry.”
“Do it.”
The rope fell.
He stepped away.
Hannah did not remove the sack.
Cole turned his back.
“You can take it off yourself.”
“I don't want you to see me.”
“Why?”
Her voice shook.
“You might understand them.”
Cole stared at the fire.
“I don't.”
“You don't know what I look like.”
“I know what they did.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
“No.”
He waited.
Finally, the sack fell to the floor.
“Turn around.”
Cole did.
He understood immediately why she had been afraid.
Her face was bruised.
Her hair had been hacked unevenly.
Her lips were cracked.
But she was beautiful.
That was not what made him gasp.
The burn on her neck was shaped like a broken circle crossed by a line.
Cole knew it.
“Who did that?”
“Victor.”
“Victor Langley?”
“Yes.”
Cole stared at the mark.
“The Circle Bar.”
Hannah stepped backward.
“You know it.”
“My brother did.”
“What was his name?”
“Eli Mercer.”
Hannah went pale.
Cole saw the change.
“You knew him.”
“No.”
“You did.”
“No.”
“Hannah.”
“I said no.”
She moved toward the stove.
Her knees buckled.
Cole caught her before she hit the floor.
She was unconscious.
He carried her to the bed.
He had no idea who she was.
But he knew one thing.
Whatever had happened to Hannah Whitmore was connected to the same organization that had destroyed his family.
The next morning, she woke to the smell of coffee and potatoes.
Cole stood by the fire.
Clean clothes waited on the chair.
“Those are yours,” he said.
“How did you know I was awake?”
“You breathe differently.”
She stared at him.
He poured coffee.
“Eat.”
Hannah sat up.
Then she noticed a leather journal on the table.
Cole opened it.
“This belonged to my brother.”
She recognized the handwriting.
Elias Mercer.
Her father had once mentioned him.
Cole turned the journal around.
“Read.”
Hannah did.
Samuel Whitmore believes Circle Bar is moving stolen horses through the northern trails.
Her fingers trembled.
Another line:
If anything happens to Samuel, find the daughter.
Hannah looked up.
“My father knew.”
Cole nodded.
“He knew he was in danger.”
“Who killed him?”
“I don't know.”
“You suspect Victor.”
“Yes.”
Hannah looked into the fire.
“Then we find out.”
Cole studied her.
“You're not leaving?”
“Not until I know.”
He nodded.
“Then we'll need your horse.”
“Ghost is gone.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Cole closed the journal.
“Horses leave tracks.”
“Ghost has been missing for months.”
“People leave tracks too.”
She looked at him.
“Do you believe me?”
Cole's eyes dropped to the burn on her neck.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Liars usually try to make themselves look innocent.”
He pointed toward her.
“You've done the opposite.”
For the first time, Hannah looked at him without suspicion.
Only briefly.