Snippet #2606038

Anna nodded to Thompson, then looked back to the telegraph operator before she headed out. "Search the office for it. Please, this is important. Ask the office at New Life if they have a copy, if need be." It was likely that the record had been stolen from the Red Road still. And it was just as likely that the serpent's agents in New Life had done the same. But it was all Anna could do, for now.

Unless Brother Samuel had run into the culprits. Anna followed Thompson to the office and found herself smiling faintly as she saw Horatio. If nothing else, she knew she wasn't alone in the investigation, no matter how dark it became.

"Uncle, it's been...Lord, I don't even know where to begin." Anna responded to Horatio, motioning to him to step closer as she lowered her voice. Her mouth felt dry at the thought of trying to explain everything she had found, as if it could be summarize so simply. Her voice was hoarse and quiet as she spoke, "This is not an isolated incident. Cobbs was investigating, he found records that similar attacks had happened, only they were years ago, all over the frontier. Natives and Mexicans as well. All butchered, with the children missing. I have his journal where he wrote his finding, but someone ripped out several pages. Likely his murderer. I told the Sheriff to keep a posse around the town. No one gets out. But the killer is one of their neighbors. They will hesitate."

She paused, drawing in a slow breath. "But this...it extends beyond even the frontier. He had sent a telegram to a friend, Howard Franklin, in New Life. Whatever he told him, Franklin was afraid. When I tasked the Dogs in New Life to find him, they found a murdered man at the telegram office and Franklin is the suspect. The police are searching for him. I told the Dog who contacted me that he must find Franklin first, but...whatever monsters are behind this have reached into New Life, Uncle."

Shifting about restlessly, Anna glanced back to the doctor and Samuel. "What did you find? Does the archdeon know anything? Whoever killed Cobbs may soon be..." She paused as the thought came to her. "If the killer thinks Samuel knows something, he will strike. He has to or he risks exposure, fleeing would not be enough. But...even if Samuel knows nothing, we only need the townsfolk to think that he does. And then we wait. We can catch him. We can finally get real answers."