Chapter 7 - The Child Taken at Sundown
They found Lucy's ribbon beside the back fence.
A note was pinned beneath a stone.
BRING THE SURVEY AND LEDGER TO REED MINE. COME ALONE, HANNAH.
Caleb refused.
Hannah refused his refusal.
“She is seven.”
“And Voss wants you.”
“Then he gets me.”
“No.”
Hannah faced him.
“You gave me the right to choose.”
“Don't use my own words against me.”
“Then don't make me.”
Silas knew the abandoned Reed mine.
It had been Thomas's exploratory shaft.
They formed a plan.
Hannah would approach visibly.
Caleb and Sheriff Cole would circle behind.
Silas would guide them through an old ventilation tunnel.
At sunset Hannah walked toward the mine carrying a satchel.
Voss waited.
Lucy sat tied to a chair.
Pike stood behind her.
“You came.”
“Let her go.”
“The papers.”
Hannah dropped the satchel.
Pike checked it.
Blank pages.
Voss's face hardened.
“You've become troublesome.”
“So was my father.”
“Yes.”
The admission landed like thunder.
“You killed him.”
“I ordered a problem solved.”
Hannah kept him talking.
“And Rebecca?”
Voss smiled.
“She should have minded her children.”
From the darkness behind him came Caleb's voice.
“That was the wrong answer.”
Everything exploded.
Pike fired.
Caleb returned fire.
Hannah threw herself over Lucy.
Silas attacked Pike.
Voss ran deeper into the mine.
Sheriff Cole pursued.
A support beam shattered.
The tunnel groaned.
“Out!” Caleb shouted.
They escaped seconds before part of the entrance collapsed.
Everyone emerged.
Except Voss.
Cole stared at the ruined entrance.
“He's trapped.”
They dug until midnight.
No Voss.
Instead they found a second exit.
And hoofprints.
He had escaped.
Lucy clung to Hannah all the way home.
That night the little girl crawled into Hannah's bed.
“Will you leave us?”
Hannah stroked her hair.
“No.”
“Promise?”
Hannah looked toward the doorway.
Caleb stood there.
“I promise.”
Lucy slept.
Caleb remained.
“You meant that?”
“Yes.”
“Because of the children?”
“Not only them.”
Their eyes held.
Caleb crossed the room slowly.
He stopped before her.
“Hannah.”
She took his hand.
This time she closed the distance.
Their first kiss was gentle.
No ownership.
No debt.
No bargain.
Choice.
When they separated, Caleb rested his forehead against hers.
“I've been trying not to love you.”
“How's that going?”
“Poorly.”
For the first time in months, Hannah laughed.
Then someone knocked downstairs.
Sheriff Cole.
His face was grave.
“We found Voss.”
Caleb reached for his coat.
“Where?”
Cole swallowed.
“Dead.”
Hannah stared.
May you like
Cole wasn't finished.
“Silas Reed's knife was in his chest.”
