Cole's face tightened.
“I was twelve.”
“What does that mean?”
“I was there.”
Hannah stared.
“You were there when my mother disappeared?”
Cole nodded.
“What happened?”
“I don't know everything.”
“Tell me what you know.”
Before he could answer, gunfire erupted outside.
A bullet struck the wall.
Cole pushed Hannah down.
Victor ran.
Eli fired through the window.
The mission became chaos.
Someone shouted outside:
“Give us the girl and the registry!”
Hannah grabbed the box.
Cole grabbed her hand.
“Move.”
They escaped through a narrow passage beneath the chapel.
When they emerged, Ghost and Mercy were gone.
Hannah stared into the snow.
“Victor escaped.”
Cole nodded.
“So did we.”
Eli looked toward the forest.
“They'll come back.”
“Who?”
Eli's face was grim.
“The men who killed Hyram.”
The Dead Who Return
They found Hyram the next morning.
Or what remained of him.
He had been shot and left beside an abandoned trail.
Hannah recognized him immediately.
The man who had sold her.
The man who had laughed.
Now he was dying.
Cole knelt.
“Who did this?”
Hyram laughed weakly.
“You.”
Hannah stared.
“Me?”
“You ruined everything.”
“Who is after us?”
Hyram's eyes moved to the registry.
“You found it.”
“Yes.”
“Then you're already dead.”
Hannah knelt.
“Who is Circle Bar?”
Hyram's expression changed.
“Your mother knew.”
“What did she know?”
“Too much.”
“Who killed her?”
Hyram swallowed.
“Not Nathaniel.”
Hannah froze.
“Then who?”
Hyram whispered:
“Samuel.”
Cole stared.
“No.”
Hyram laughed.
“That's why they hid the truth.”
Hannah grabbed his coat.
“Tell me.”
But Hyram's eyes closed.
He was dead.
Hannah stood.
Her hands shook.
Cole looked at her.
“Don't believe him.”
“Why?”
“Because he wanted you angry.”
“Maybe he told the truth.”
“He was dying.”
“That doesn't make him a liar.”
Eli looked away.
Hannah noticed.
“You know something.”
Eli remained silent.
“You know.”
“Hannah—”
“Tell me.”
Eli sighed.
“Samuel had dealings with Circle Bar.”
Cole stepped toward him.
“What kind?”
“Payments.”
“For what?”
“Information.”
Hannah stared.
“You're saying my father worked with them?”
“No.”
“You just said—”
“He infiltrated them.”
“Then why were there payments?”
“To make them trust him.”
Hannah looked at the registry.
“Was he one of the founders?”
Eli hesitated.
“That depends on what you mean by founder.”
“Did he sign the agreement?”
Silence.
Hannah understood.
Cole turned toward his brother.
“You knew?”
Eli looked at him.
“I knew part of it.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I was trying to protect her.”
Cole laughed bitterly.
“Everyone is always trying to protect her.”
Hannah looked at both brothers.
“I am tired of being protected.”