Chapter 8 - THE CHURCH WHERE THE DEAD LEFT MESSAGES
The church stood on a hill overlooking a frozen lake.
Its bell tower leaned slightly to the east.
Snow covered the cemetery.
The building had been abandoned for years.
Hannah stepped from the car.
The cold air burned her lungs.
Vincent stood beside her.
“Are you sure?”
She nodded.
“My father brought me here once.”
She remembered being fourteen.
Angry.
Bored.
Complaining about spending summer in old buildings.
Peter had laughed.
One day you'll understand why history matters.
Now she did.
Inside, dust covered the pews.
Hannah walked toward the altar.
Beneath a wooden panel, she found a carved symbol.
Three intersecting hooks.
Her father's mark.
Vincent crouched beside her.
“What does it mean?”
Hannah touched the carving.
“He was here.”
She examined the surrounding wood.
One panel was slightly loose.
She lifted it.
Inside was a narrow compartment.
A sealed metal cylinder lay beneath the floor.
Hannah opened it.
Inside was a folded letter.
Addressed to her.
My little star.
She began crying before reading another word.
Peter wrote that he had survived the staged accident but had been forced into hiding.
He explained that Raymond's associates had threatened Hannah and Elena.
He had tried to contact trustworthy investigators, but every attempt seemed to reach someone connected to the conspiracy.
The letter ended with an address.
A small town in northern Michigan.
And one sentence.
If the lake is still blue when you find this, come before winter ends.
Hannah stared.
Vincent looked at the address.
“It's February.”
She nodded.
“Winter hasn't ended.”
May you like
Vincent stood.
“Then we still have time.”
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