"Girls! Listen up!"

Early morning at Jono's. Hannah turned from her cleaning, as did the rest of the girls. Jono stood by the counter, a note in hand. "We are closing for the whole day tomorrow. One of my aunts has just passed on, so Stephanie and I have to be there for the funeral. Right big hassle if you asked me. But it can't be helped. So, we'll stay open a little late tonight, and tomorrow don't any of you come in. We'll be business as usual day after. Understood?"

A bunch of the girls cheered, and Jono smacked the counter. "Hey! This is not supposed to be a happy occasion! Oh, if she could see you all now."

Hannah kept quiet, ignoring the other girls as they started chattering about what they would do with their free day – visit the shops, take picnics, see their lovers. Hannah stole a glance at Ginia, and thought she knew where she'd be – the jails, no doubt, meeting with Raul. And herself? She could go and see Alyssa, but the idea of also seeing Suzanne put her off. Magda's looked a better idea, really. She'd much rather talk to Kurt, maybe even Shelby.

The next day, she still woke up early, too used to being up by dawn for work at Jono's. She got washed and dressed as she normally did, heading out alone onto the streets. She could still remember when the crowds of Dalen used to frighten her. Now, they felt almost comforting, like a great big forest of people to hide away in – no names, no thoughts, nothing but faces and voices.

She walked past Jono's on the way to the church, seeing that the doors were indeed locked. A handwritten sign, courtesy of Deedee, hung across the porch. She had even drawn a border of daisy-flowers.

That silly girl, Hannah thought, slapping her forehead. Just wait till Jono saw that. She recognized a pair of regulars hanging around nearby, and stopped to chat with them for a while, explaining about the funeral.

Afterwards, she continued slowly towards Magda's. She wanted to give Kurt enough time to have his breakfast and settle into the morning. How much longer would he stay in Dalen, she wondered? Surely, Tom Avery couldn't do without him for long. Yet, sometimes she couldn't help feeling Kurt was reluctant to go home. Or was it just silly hopes?

"Ah, Magda's," she sighed, as the familiar tower entered her sight, the fences and the roll-around gardens. She headed onto the grounds, her eye going to the stone bench in the shade. Facing the beach, she saw a figure out on the sands, walking by himself. And he looked – familiar. She started forward, past the bench and light-leaf trees.

It was Kurt himself. She knew his hair and those clothes all too well. She smiled to herself, starting down a soft slope. She felt the sand under her and realized it was the first time she'd come down to the shore. She remembered Macks offering to take her once, not long after they'd first met. She shook her head thinking about it.

"Kurt!" she called, moving faster. She didn't like how her feet sank in the ground, spraying up dirt on her dress.

Before her, Kurt turned, surprised. He did look so handsome right then, his hair breezing around his face, his sleeves and leggings rolled up over his brown skin. "Hannah? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"

She went up, breathing a little hard. "Jono's is closed for the day. So I thought I'd come over and see you. Do you want to do something together?"

He smiled faintly, lacing his hands together. "I was just thinking of you, actually."

"You were?"

"Yes," he sighed. "Since you're here, I suppose we might as well talk. There's something I need to tell you."

Hannah took a minute to study him. "Do you want to go inside?"

"No, no." He hesitated, his gaze sliding away from her. She saw him looking towards the sea, and she wondered what could be bothering him.

"Well. What is it then?"

"Hannah, before I say anything, first I need to apologize, on my father's behalf."

She stiffened slightly, afraid for what she might hear next.

"Fadden and I – we had a reason for coming to Dalen. We have the name of the family that hired your mother."

She stared at him, suddenly feeling like she was being swallowed by it all – the sand, the ocean, the noisy wind slamming against them. "How?"

"A long time ago, your father told my father. But he made him swear to keep it a secret from you."

"For how long?"

"It's ... been years."

"Years?"

"We thought after all that time, it wouldn't matter anymore. And we had no way of knowing something hadn't happened to her. We thought it better not to – "

"Wait," she stopped him. "You're saying you knew? Both of you?"

His face became even more guilty. "I'm sorry, Hannah."

"You never told me," she whispered, feeling a heavy, ugly sense of betrayal.

"My father only told me himself a few months ago. I finally convinced him to let me come here and tell you."

"A few months? What about when I last came to Chell? You could have said something!"

"I'm sorry," he repeated."But that's why I'm here now. I want to help you find her."

"Help me? Kurt, you have a wife, with child, waiting for you back home."

"But I owe you this at least."

"Just give me the name. Rio and I will find her."

"What if you can't? What if all I'm doing is giving you false hope?"

"Kurt, tell me their name now."

He raised his hands, relenting. "Williams. The name is Williams."

"That's it?"

"I'm afraid that's all we know. Your Da never mentioned their first names. Perhaps he didn't know himself."

"I have to go," she muttered, turning around.

"Wait!" he cried, coming after her. "Hannah, don't be angry at me."

"I'm not," she lied instinctively.

"I spent so much time worrying about this, about how to tell you."

"Well, it's done now."

"Tell me how I can help, how I can make it up to you."

She turned, looking up at him. She'd never felt so betrayed before, not even at her mother's leaving. After all these years, she realized she didn't really know Kurt at all. She breathed in, speaking more quietly. "If there's nothing else, I think you should take Fadden and go home to Chell."

He blinked at her, eyes shivering with hurt. "Don't you want me to stay?"

"All I want is to find my mother." She went off again, skittering up the slope and past the bench. This time, he didn't follow.

She got back on the road, hurrying on her own towards the centre of town. She needed her brother. But to find him, she would have to go to –

"Damn it." She stopped in the middle of the street, people flowing on around her. She hated to do this. But she had no choice. Whatever her feelings were about the Captain, she had to put them aside for her mother's sake. She dug up a few coins, paying for a messenger to take a note to him at the station. Then she went home to wait. If she knew Macks, he would come to her immediately, no matter what he was in the middle of. She had to admit, she was glad she could count on him for that. He might not fancy her anymore, but for Rio's sake, he would help. He had to.

She sat by the window at home for almost an hour before she saw his horse clopping up. She watched as he dismounted, and was surprised when he lifted his head and looked straight at her. Hannah sat still, waiting for something. He didn't wave or so much as nod, turning his head down again and disappearing into the building. She waited in her chair, feeling strangely nervous right up until the sound of his knock. "Come in," she called, watching the knob turn.

He stepped inside, his familiar frame striking in that small, drab room. She watched the swirl of his cloak, and listened to the deep sound of his boots against the floor. He shut the door, standing calmly across from her. "You sent for me."

"Macks. I thank you for coming."

He paused, looking around. "Is everything alright?"

"It's ... well, why don't you sit first?"

"I'm needed back at the station. Will this be long?"

She paused, feeling a little thrown. "Not really. I need to speak to my brother. Can you tell me where to find him?"

"He's on duty now. I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

"This is important."

He glanced at her, waiting. Clearly, he wanted to know what was going on.

"Alright," Hannah sighed, giving in. "I might as well tell you. Has Rio ever spoken to you about our mother?"

"Yes. He told me she came to Dalen many years ago but ... " he didn't finish.

"All this time, she refused to tell us where she was or how to find her. But now I've found out that she went to work for a family by the name of Williams. If we find them, we find her."

"Alright, hold on now. There must be dozens of people with that name in the city."

"Then all the more we need to get started."

"How?"

"By going to everyone we know. His friends, my friends, the sisters at Magda's ... "

The Captain stared at her, biting his lip as he thought about this. "I tell you what, Hannah. Leave Rio to his duty. I will get word out for you."

"You?"

"I have connections. I can help."

She went silent, blinking up at him. Slowly, she rose, her gaze lining with his. "Why?" she whispered.

"What?" Macks frowned, cocking his head back.

"Why are you helping us?"

"Because I want to."

"Because of Rio?"

"Not just Rio."

She crossed her arms, looking at the floor. "I'm sorry for troubling you like this. I would never ask for help unless I needed it."

"I know. I am happy to be needed by you."

More than I, she thought, but she didn't say so.

Macks noticed her silence, mistakenly taking it as worry for her mother. He came over, standing just beside her, his hand squeezing her shoulder. "It'll be alright."

"Please," she complained, twisting away from him. She gave him a warning look, and he pulled back, realizing his mistake.

"Well. I think I'd better be on my way then."

She eyed him, not saying anything.

"Be assured, I'll let you know as soon I receive any word."

"Thank you."

He bowed his head at her as he showed himself out, and all she could manage was a weak nod.

There was so much to do now, she realized once he was gone. She needed to go back to Magda's, ask for their help.

But instead she stayed there in the little hall, staring where Macks had stood. What was happening to her?