Part 7 (1/2)

”How much?”

She hesitated. ”Three hundred apiece.”

”My Lord,” Sophia breathed. ”That's . . .”

”Exactly the right price,” Preacher said grimly. ”As much as they can charge and still have people pay it . . . with everything they have.” He turned to the girl. ”You see that,Addie, don't you? These families have lost their children and now they may lose everything else, in a desperate and hopeless attempt to regain them.”

Addie shook her head. ”It's not like that. He's going to do a demonstration. Free of charge.”

”What? That's not poss-” Preacher began.

”It's a hoax,Addie,” Sophia said, laying her hand on the girl's arm. ”Swindlers have many of them. They'll conjure up some trick and-”

”And what if it's real?” Addie said, crossing her arms. ”You don't know that it isn't.You don't.”

”Yes, we do, sweetheart.They cannot-”

”You're wrong,”Addie said. ”They're going to do the demonstration.They'll bring Charlie back. And I'll be there to see it.”

She turned and raced out the door as Sophia and Preacher stared at one another.

”Charlie?” Sophia said finally. ”Oh, Benjamin. Of all the children . . .”

”I know,” he said. ”She does not need that. I'll go and be there for her when she's disappointed.”

”Not disappointed,” Sophia said. ”Heartbroken. I'll go with you, too. I'm well enough, and I ought to be there for her.”

He nodded and gathered her bonnet and coat.

Browning Someone must die.

You knew there was a trick, Browning told himself. There had to be. No, it wasn't a trick. It was a hitch. He ought to have known

it couldn't be as easy as paying cash on the barrel. A life given for a life returned.That was how it worked, and he ought to have been relieved, now that it made sense.