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She deleted the message.
What’s on my hoodie?
She held her breath.
Griffin
Okay, that was good, but it was not foolproof. If Robert had taken pictures of her, he would have figured it out.
Her phone pinged.
My mom just called, asking when we will be back. She has dinner ready
Meghan burst out laughing.
The feeder
She sent an instant reply.
OMW
Meghan shimmied down the haystack, praying it wouldn’t collapse and block her exit. She wrapped the old leather strings around her hand and pushed the wooden door open. When the last rays of the setting sun hit her face, she squinted and looked in the direction of the mill. Oliver was on his way to her. Holding the satchel tight against her chest, Meghan walked toward the sound of his pounding steps.
And when she finally saw him running towards her, her own feet sped up. She dropped the sack and ran into his open arms. Oliver lifted her off the ground. His embrace almost crushed her, but when he set her back down onto the dry pine needles, his eyes burnt with so much love and tenderness she couldn’t help but close her eyes and let him kiss her.
“Are you hurt?” She ran her hands down his arms.
“No.”
“Thank you, God,” she blurted, choking back the tears.
Their eyes met. A moment passed before Oliver spoke again. “Thank you for praying,” he whispered.
Meghan smiled, and then he kissed her again.
“I found the treasure,” she said softly when their lips parted.
A smile broke on his face as he touched her cheek. “And so did I.”
EPILOGUE
On the warm,sunlit morning of the ceremony, the air was filled with the sounds of the forest—the rustling leaves, the birdsong, and the soothing rush of the river. Twelve descendants of the Weiss family made their way from the clearing to the gravesite.
The polished stones glimmered in the sunlight, their surfaces reflecting the star of David and the names of the deceased. The sun felt warm on Meghan’s skin, and a gentle breeze tousled her hair, bringing a sense of peace. With a soft smile, Meghan extended her hand to Sarah, Hedvika’s granddaughter, who had traveled in with the family from Tel Aviv.
The air smelled of pine and fresh grass, and for a brief moment, it felt as if the whole forest was holding its breath in respect for this solemn yet beautiful occasion.
When the family decided to purchase Meghan’s inheritance instead of disturbing the graves of their ancestors, it brought her much-needed relief. Oliver had been a tremendous help in sorting through the paperwork on Meghan’s behalf.
As the rabbi approached the headstones, Meghan’s fingers gently brushed over the pendants she wore around her neck. Her hand instinctively found the heart-shaped piece of gold, a gift from her parents on her graduation day. She then touched the cross that had been included in the letter her grandfather had left with the notary. Meghan recalled her tears as she read the confession of his heart. His love for Hedvika lasted a lifetime, and so did his search for forgiveness. But it was the star of David, the only reward she had accepted for the recovery of the cache of Weiss family jewelry, that captured her attention. It was set with tiny pink diamonds, and Meghan hoped that it had once belonged to Hedvika. Wearing it today seemed so appropriate as they gathered to honor the memory of her parents and baby brother. Meghan’s fingers closed around all three pendants, holding them together, a silent vow ofnever again.
The rabbi’s prayers echoed softly in the air, blending with the gentle sound of the river’s flow. Meghan rested her head against Oliver’s shoulder, comforted by the warmth of his presence. Their wedding was just days away, and with Sarah’s family attending, there was much to discuss. The sun bathed the moment in a golden hue, and Meghan felt a deep sense of peace. She smiled softly as she thought of how Oliver had come to her with his own restless heart, yearning for a new adventure, one that would include her.
The quest for justice was far from over. Oliver had already contacted a recovered art depository in Germany with information about the discovered notebook listing the missing items. He was tracking down the descendants of families who owned the priceless pieces.
Meghan had immersed herself in her postgraduate studies, becoming a forensic accountant, determined to make a difference. After their wedding, they planned to visit Israel, where Sarah promised to introduce her to an Israeli investigative team working with Swiss banks.
They had long since stopped looking over their shoulder. Once Yarda and the backup arrived at the scene, the Russian mercenaries vanished, leaving the rented SUVs in the clearing.
When the German police raided Robert’s villa near Berlin, they recovered several pieces of art that his father had stolen during the war and an array of listening devices, trackers, and other illegal surveillance equipment. Robert Eisenhart was charged, sentenced, and locked away for good.
Oliver’s arm slipped around her shoulders, pulling her closer in a warm embrace. Meghan couldn’t help but smile when she caught the wink from his mom. The sweet woman insisted on baking the traditional Czech wedding pastries calledkolacein her own kitchen.Thankfully, Meghan’s parents were here to lend a hand, and she felt a deep well of gratitude toward them. It was they who had chosen to live a life guided by faith, breaking the generational curse that had once hung over her family.
Oliver kissed her hair softly, and Meghan whispered a prayer of thanks—for the sun, for the river, for the gentle breeze, and for the love that surrounded her. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the gratitude for all that had finally come together—both the lost and the found, the truth and the forgiveness. She looked up at her husband-to-be.
“God is good,” she whispered.
“That He is.” Oliver smiled and kissed her again.