diff --git a/src/cli/admin.rs b/src/cli/admin.rs
index ca65e38..5e06cc3 100644
--- a/src/cli/admin.rs
+++ b/src/cli/admin.rs
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@ pub async fn cmd_init() -> Result<()> {
     // Seed identity node if empty
     let arc = memory::access_local()?;
     let mut store = arc.lock().await;
-    if !store.nodes.contains_key("identity") {
+    if !store.contains_key("identity").unwrap_or(false) {
         let default = include_str!("../../defaults/identity.md");
         store.upsert("identity", default)?;
         println!("Seeded identity in store");
     }
     store.save()?;
-    println!("Initialized with {} nodes", store.nodes.len());
+    println!("Initialized with {} nodes", store.all_keys().unwrap_or_default().len());
 
     // Create config if none exists
     let config_path = std::env::var("POC_MEMORY_CONFIG")
@@ -65,10 +65,13 @@ pub async fn cmd_fsck() -> Result<()> {
 
     // Check node-key consistency
     let mut issues = 0;
-    for (key, node) in &store.nodes {
-        if key != &node.key {
-            eprintln!("MISMATCH: map key '{}' vs node.key '{}'", key, node.key);
-            issues += 1;
+    let all_keys = store.all_keys().unwrap_or_default();
+    for key in &all_keys {
+        if let Ok(Some(node)) = store.get_node(key) {
+            if key != &node.key {
+                eprintln!("MISMATCH: map key '{}' vs node.key '{}'", key, node.key);
+                issues += 1;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -76,11 +79,11 @@ pub async fn cmd_fsck() -> Result<()> {
     let mut dangling = 0;
     for rel in &store.relations {
         if rel.deleted { continue; }
-        if !store.nodes.contains_key(&rel.source_key) {
+        if !store.contains_key(&rel.source_key).unwrap_or(false) {
             eprintln!("DANGLING: edge source '{}'", rel.source_key);
             dangling += 1;
         }
-        if !store.nodes.contains_key(&rel.target_key) {
+        if !store.contains_key(&rel.target_key).unwrap_or(false) {
             eprintln!("DANGLING: edge target '{}'", rel.target_key);
             dangling += 1;
         }
@@ -90,8 +93,8 @@ pub async fn cmd_fsck() -> Result<()> {
     let mut to_tombstone = Vec::new();
     for rel in &store.relations {
         if rel.deleted { continue; }
-        if !store.nodes.contains_key(&rel.source_key)
-            || !store.nodes.contains_key(&rel.target_key) {
+        if !store.contains_key(&rel.source_key).unwrap_or(false)
+            || !store.contains_key(&rel.target_key).unwrap_or(false) {
             let mut tombstone = rel.clone();
             tombstone.deleted = true;
             tombstone.version += 1;
@@ -112,7 +115,7 @@ pub async fn cmd_fsck() -> Result<()> {
 
     let g = store.build_graph();
     println!("fsck: {} nodes, {} edges, {} issues, {} dangling",
-        store.nodes.len(), g.edge_count(), issues, dangling);
+        all_keys.len(), g.edge_count(), issues, dangling);
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -276,8 +279,9 @@ pub async fn cmd_dedup(apply: bool) -> Result<()> {
             store.append_relations(&updated_rels)?;
         }
 
-        for uuid in &doomed_uuids {
-            store.uuid_to_key.remove(uuid);
+        // Remove doomed nodes from index
+        for (doomed_node, _) in &copies[1..] {
+            store.remove_from_index(&doomed_node.key, &doomed_node.uuid)?;
         }
 
         merged += doomed_uuids.len();
diff --git a/src/hippocampus/neuro/scoring.rs b/src/hippocampus/neuro/scoring.rs
index de3472e..5828fd0 100644
--- a/src/hippocampus/neuro/scoring.rs
+++ b/src/hippocampus/neuro/scoring.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ pub fn consolidation_priority(
     graph: &Graph,
     spectral_outlier: Option<f64>,
 ) -> f64 {
-    let node = match store.nodes.get(key) {
+    let node = match store.get_node(key).ok().flatten() {
         Some(n) => n,
         None => return 0.0,
     };
@@ -97,8 +97,10 @@ pub fn replay_queue_with_graph(
         HashMap::new()
     };
 
-    let mut items: Vec<ReplayItem> = store.nodes.iter()
-        .map(|(key, node)| {
+    let all_keys = store.all_keys().unwrap_or_default();
+    let mut items: Vec<ReplayItem> = all_keys.iter()
+        .filter_map(|key| {
+            let node = store.get_node(key).ok()??;
             let pos = positions.get(key);
             let outlier_score = pos.map(|p| p.outlier_score).unwrap_or(0.0);
             let classification = pos
@@ -109,7 +111,7 @@ pub fn replay_queue_with_graph(
                 store, key, graph,
                 pos.map(|p| p.outlier_score),
             );
-            ReplayItem {
+            Some(ReplayItem {
                 key: key.clone(),
                 priority,
                 interval_days: node.spaced_repetition_interval,
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ pub fn replay_queue_with_graph(
                 cc: graph.clustering_coefficient(key),
                 classification,
                 outlier_score,
-            }
+            })
         })
         .collect();
 
@@ -214,11 +216,13 @@ fn consolidation_plan_inner(store: &Store, _detect_interf: bool) -> Consolidatio
     let gini = graph.degree_gini();
     let _avg_cc = graph.avg_clustering_coefficient();
 
-    let episodic_count = store.nodes.iter()
-        .filter(|(_, n)| matches!(n.node_type, crate::store::NodeType::EpisodicSession))
+    let all_keys = store.all_keys().unwrap_or_default();
+    let episodic_count = all_keys.iter()
+        .filter_map(|k| store.get_node(k).ok()?)
+        .filter(|n| matches!(n.node_type, crate::store::NodeType::EpisodicSession))
         .count();
-    let _episodic_ratio = if store.nodes.is_empty() { 0.0 }
-        else { episodic_count as f32 / store.nodes.len() as f32 };
+    let _episodic_ratio = if all_keys.is_empty() { 0.0 }
+        else { episodic_count as f32 / all_keys.len() as f32 };
 
     let mut plan = ConsolidationPlan {
         counts: std::collections::HashMap::new(),
diff --git a/src/hippocampus/query/engine.rs b/src/hippocampus/query/engine.rs
index 3c9d811..b6d85b6 100644
--- a/src/hippocampus/query/engine.rs
+++ b/src/hippocampus/query/engine.rs
@@ -227,10 +227,10 @@ fn score_field(
             (d / max).min(1.0)
         }
         ScoreField::Weight => {
-            store.nodes.get(key).map(|n| n.weight as f64).unwrap_or(0.0)
+            store.get_node(key).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.weight as f64).unwrap_or(0.0)
         }
         ScoreField::ContentLen => {
-            let len = store.nodes.get(key).map(|n| n.content.len()).unwrap_or(0) as f64;
+            let len = store.get_node(key).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.content.len()).unwrap_or(0) as f64;
             let max = precomputed.max_content_len.max(1.0);
             (len / max).min(1.0)
         }
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ impl CompositeCache {
             .map(|(k, _)| graph.degree(k) as f64)
             .fold(0.0f64, f64::max);
         let max_content_len = items.iter()
-            .map(|(k, _)| store.nodes.get(k).map(|n| n.content.len()).unwrap_or(0) as f64)
+            .map(|(k, _)| store.get_node(k).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.content.len()).unwrap_or(0) as f64)
             .fold(0.0f64, f64::max);
         Self {
             isolation: graph.community_isolation(),
@@ -393,9 +393,12 @@ pub fn run_query(
 fn run_generator(g: &Generator, store: &Store) -> Vec<(String, f64)> {
     match g {
         Generator::All => {
-            store.nodes.iter()
-                .filter(|(_, n)| !n.deleted)
-                .map(|(key, n)| (key.clone(), n.weight as f64))
+            store.all_keys().unwrap_or_default().into_iter()
+                .filter_map(|key| {
+                    let n = store.get_node(&key).ok()??;
+                    if n.deleted { return None; }
+                    Some((key, n.weight as f64))
+                })
                 .collect()
         }
         Generator::Match(terms) => {
@@ -409,7 +412,7 @@ fn run_generator(g: &Generator, store: &Store) -> Vec<(String, f64)> {
 }
 
 pub fn eval_filter(filt: &Filter, key: &str, store: &Store, now: i64) -> bool {
-    let node = match store.nodes.get(key) {
+    let node = match store.get_node(key).ok().flatten() {
         Some(n) => n,
         None => return false,
     };
@@ -442,15 +445,15 @@ pub fn run_transform(
                 }
                 SortField::Timestamp => {
                     items.sort_by(|a, b| {
-                        let ta = store.nodes.get(&a.0).map(|n| n.timestamp).unwrap_or(0);
-                        let tb = store.nodes.get(&b.0).map(|n| n.timestamp).unwrap_or(0);
+                        let ta = store.get_node(&a.0).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.timestamp).unwrap_or(0);
+                        let tb = store.get_node(&b.0).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.timestamp).unwrap_or(0);
                         tb.cmp(&ta) // desc
                     });
                 }
                 SortField::ContentLen => {
                     items.sort_by(|a, b| {
-                        let la = store.nodes.get(&a.0).map(|n| n.content.len()).unwrap_or(0);
-                        let lb = store.nodes.get(&b.0).map(|n| n.content.len()).unwrap_or(0);
+                        let la = store.get_node(&a.0).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.content.len()).unwrap_or(0);
+                        let lb = store.get_node(&b.0).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.content.len()).unwrap_or(0);
                         lb.cmp(&la) // desc
                     });
                 }
@@ -480,7 +483,7 @@ pub fn run_transform(
                 SortField::Named(field, asc) => {
                     // Resolve field from node properties
                     let resolve = |key: &str| -> Option<f64> {
-                        let node = store.nodes.get(key)?;
+                        let node = store.get_node(key).ok()??;
                         match field.as_str() {
                             "weight"      => Some(node.weight as f64),
                             "emotion"     => Some(node.emotion as f64),
diff --git a/src/hippocampus/query/parser.rs b/src/hippocampus/query/parser.rs
index d3b7564..7d45b90 100644
--- a/src/hippocampus/query/parser.rs
+++ b/src/hippocampus/query/parser.rs
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ pub fn parse_stages(s: &str) -> Result<Vec<Stage>, String> {
 
 /// Resolve a field value from a node + graph context, returning a comparable Value.
 fn resolve_field(field: &str, key: &str, store: &Store, graph: &Graph) -> Option<Value> {
-    let node = store.nodes.get(key)?;
+    let node = store.get_node(key).ok()??;
     match field {
         "key"           => Some(Value::Str(key.to_string())),
         "weight"        => Some(Value::Num(node.weight as f64)),
@@ -491,9 +491,13 @@ fn execute_parsed(
         }
         _ => {
             let mut out = Vec::new();
-            for key in store.nodes.keys() {
-                if store.nodes[key].deleted { continue; }
-                if eval(&q.expr, &|f| resolve_field(f, key, store, graph), store, graph) {
+            for key in store.all_keys().unwrap_or_default() {
+                let node = match store.get_node(&key).ok().flatten() {
+                    Some(n) => n,
+                    None => continue,
+                };
+                if node.deleted { continue; }
+                if eval(&q.expr, &|f| resolve_field(f, &key, store, graph), store, graph) {
                     out.push(QueryResult { key: key.clone(), fields: BTreeMap::new() });
                 }
             }
@@ -565,15 +569,15 @@ fn execute_parsed(
                     }
                     SortField::Weight => {
                         results.sort_by(|a, b| {
-                            let wa = store.nodes.get(&a.key).map(|n| n.weight).unwrap_or(0.0);
-                            let wb = store.nodes.get(&b.key).map(|n| n.weight).unwrap_or(0.0);
+                            let wa = store.get_node(&a.key).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.weight).unwrap_or(0.0);
+                            let wb = store.get_node(&b.key).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.weight).unwrap_or(0.0);
                             wb.total_cmp(&wa)
                         });
                     }
                     SortField::Timestamp => {
                         results.sort_by(|a, b| {
-                            let ta = store.nodes.get(&a.key).map(|n| n.timestamp).unwrap_or(0);
-                            let tb = store.nodes.get(&b.key).map(|n| n.timestamp).unwrap_or(0);
+                            let ta = store.get_node(&a.key).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.timestamp).unwrap_or(0);
+                            let tb = store.get_node(&b.key).ok().flatten().map(|n| n.timestamp).unwrap_or(0);
                             tb.cmp(&ta)
                         });
                     }
diff --git a/src/hippocampus/store/mod.rs b/src/hippocampus/store/mod.rs
index 147f811..7766ed2 100644
--- a/src/hippocampus/store/mod.rs
+++ b/src/hippocampus/store/mod.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ pub use ops::current_provenance;
 
 use crate::graph::{self, Graph};
 
-use std::collections::HashMap;
 use anyhow::{bail, Result};
 
 /// Strip .md suffix from a key, handling both bare keys and section keys.
@@ -48,8 +47,6 @@ pub fn strip_md_suffix(key: &str) -> String {
 
 // The full in-memory store
 pub struct Store {
-    pub nodes: HashMap<String, Node>,          // key → latest node
-    pub uuid_to_key: HashMap<[u8; 16], String>, // uuid → key (rebuilt from nodes)
     pub relations: Vec<Relation>,              // all active relations
     /// Log sizes at load time — used for staleness detection.
     pub(crate) loaded_nodes_size: u64,
@@ -61,8 +58,6 @@ pub struct Store {
 impl Default for Store {
     fn default() -> Self {
         Store {
-            nodes: HashMap::new(),
-            uuid_to_key: HashMap::new(),
             relations: Vec::new(),
             loaded_nodes_size: 0,
             loaded_rels_size: 0,
@@ -101,6 +96,14 @@ impl Store {
         index::all_keys(db)
     }
 
+    /// Remove a node from the index (used after appending a tombstone).
+    pub fn remove_from_index(&self, key: &str, uuid: &[u8; 16]) -> Result<()> {
+        if let Some(db) = self.db.as_ref() {
+            index::remove_node(db, key, uuid)?;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     pub fn resolve_key(&self, target: &str) -> Result<String> {
         // Strip .md suffix if present — keys no longer use it
         let bare = strip_md_suffix(target);