She walked away.
That night, they camped in silence.
Cole eventually sat beside her.
“You should sleep.”
“I don't know who my father was.”
“You know who he was to you.”
“Maybe that's not enough.”
Cole looked at the fire.
“My brother disappeared when I was twelve.”
“I know.”
“I spent ten years believing he was dead.”
“Maybe he was trying to protect you.”
Cole smiled without humor.
“Everyone says that.”
Hannah looked at him.
“Do you trust him?”
“I want to.”
“That's not the same.”
“No.”
They sat quietly.
Then Hannah reached for his hand.
Cole looked down.
She did not let go.
“I am still going.”
“I know.”
“You'll come.”
“Yes.”
“Even though the note says alone?”
“Yes.”
She smiled faintly.
“You're irritating.”
“So I've been told.”
North Pass
North Pass was a narrow cut through the mountains.
They reached it at noon.
No one was there.
Only an abandoned wagon.
A black horse tied nearby.
On the wagon seat was a note.
COME FARTHER.
Cole swore.
Hannah smiled.
“What?”
“Someone wants us to follow.”
“You don't have to.”
“I know.”
They followed.
Half a mile.
Another note.
FARTHER.
Then another.
The trail ended at a frozen lake.
A man stood in the center.
Gray coat.
Silver beard.
Scar across his cheek.
Cole stopped.
“No.”
Hannah looked at him.
“Who?”
Cole whispered:
“Eli.”
The man smiled.
“Hello, little brother.”
Cole crossed the ice.
His fist struck Eli's face.
Eli fell.
Cole pulled him up and hit him again.
“You're dead.”
“So people keep telling me.”
“You let Mother bury an empty coffin.”
“Yes.”
“You left us.”
“I had to.”
“For ten years?”
“Yes.”
Hannah grabbed Cole's arm.
“Enough.”
Cole's chest heaved.
Eli wiped blood from his mouth.
Hannah stepped forward.
“My father.”
Eli looked at her.
His expression softened.
“You look like Elizabeth.”
“Who was my father?”
Eli hesitated.
Hannah raised her revolver.
“I am tired of men deciding which truths I am allowed to hear.”
Eli smiled faintly.
“That sounds like your mother.”
“Tell me.”
“Nathaniel Langley.”
“I know.”
“But Samuel was your father.”
“By choice.”
“Yes.”
“Why did my mother disappear?”
Eli looked toward Cole.
“Because she discovered the Circle.”
“Samuel's Circle?”
“No.”
“The real Circle.”
Eli explained.
Years earlier, Samuel had joined a group of ranchers trying to protect land from railroad companies and corrupt officials.
They called themselves the Circle.
At first, they were not criminals.
They shared information.
Protected families.
Exposed dishonest land deals.
Then money entered.
Power followed.
Men who had once fought injustice discovered that controlling the system was more profitable than fighting it.
Samuel tried to leave.
Others refused.
Elizabeth discovered what the organization had become.
She wanted to expose them.
She disappeared.
Samuel vanished afterward.
Eli believed Samuel had been killed.