The Wedding Party

Part 90: A Bluff

Preston's grip tightened around his rifle as he prepared to search for Olive. His heart raced with a mix of concern and determination to find her. As he turned to leave, Braeden burst into the room, frantic and out of breath.

"Olive fell at the bluffs!" Braeden exclaimed, desperation clear in his voice. He hurried to gather supplies for a rescue attempt. "We need to help her, now!"

Suspicion clouded Preston's thoughts, but he couldn't ignore the possibility that Olive was in danger. Helena, her eyes still red from the revelation about Brandt, glanced between the two men, torn between mistrust and the need to act.

"Who is your lover?" she demanded, hoping for an answer that would dispel her doubts. But Brandt's chilling response only fueled her anxiety: "Someone as murderous as I am."

Preston's anger surged as he lunged at Braeden, grabbing him by the collar. "Did you kill Olive? Are you working with Brandt?" he snarled, barely able to contain his fury.

"Please," Braeden pleaded, fear etched on his face. "I didn't do anything. We need to save Olive!"

Preston hesitated for a moment, his mind reeling from the implications of what he had learned. Then, with a reluctant nod, he agreed to get a rope and look for Olive.

The wind whipped at their faces as Helena, Braeden, Preston, and Killian arrived at the bluffs, searching for any sign of Olive. The sea roared below them, waves crashing against the jagged rocks. Braeden secured the rope around his waist, ready to climb down. Preston eyed him warily.

"Did you push her off the edge?" he accused, his voice strained with emotion.

"No!" Braeden insisted, his eyes wide with anguish. "I never would."

At the police trailer, Miguel set out food for everyone, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy in the chaos. Amelia picked at her meal, lost in thought.

"I ate in the tunnels," she murmured, shivering at the memory. "Someone else brought the food down there."

At the bottom of the bluffs, jagged rocks and frothy sea spray set a treacherous stage. Preston and Killian stood with their guns aimed at Braeden, whose desperate eyes searched the area for any trace of Olive. Helena's heart pounded in her chest as she stepped in front of their rifles, her voice firm and determined

"Stop it, both of you!" she shouted over the roar of crashing waves. "Braeden is innocent. He wouldn't hurt Olive."

Preston's jaw clenched, his eyes filled with doubt and anger. Killian glanced between Helena and Braeden, his flirtatious charm replaced by a cold intensity.

"Then where is she, Helena?" Preston demanded, frustration lacing his words.

Just as tensions threatened to boil over, a weak cry echoed from the top of a nearby bluff. All eyes turned to see Olive, her clothes torn and hair matted, waving frantically for help. Relief washed over them like a tidal wave, and they sprinted toward her, hearts pounding with renewed hope.

"Olive! Are you okay?" Helena called out, breathless as they reached her.

"Thank God," Olive whispered, her voice shaky but determined. "I fell, got caught on some branches partway down. I managed to climb back up."

"What happened to the radio?" Preston asked, worry etching lines into his face.

"I found one nearby after I climbed back up," Olive explained, gesturing to a patch of woods. "Come on, let's try to get help."

They followed Olive to the radio, urgency driving them forward. Braeden attempted to signal the coast guard using an emergency band, his hands shaking with a mix of fear and adrenaline. But when his efforts were met with nothing but static, Killian stepped in, his earlier bravado giving way to a quiet determination.

"Let me try," he said, taking the radio from Braeden's hands and tinkering with it. "I know a thing or two about these things."

As Killian worked on the radio, Helena pulled Preston aside, her eyes filled with a mix of relief and concern. "What were you thinking, aiming your gun at Braeden?"

Preston sighed, his face a mask of frustration. "I don't know, Helena. I just... I panicked. I thought we'd lost Olive."

"Panicked? You nearly killed an innocent man!" Helena shot back, her voice barely above a whisper.

Olive approached them, her expression equal parts hurt and curiosity. "What's going on? What did I miss?"

Forcing a smile, Helena decided honesty was the best approach. "Preston and Killian thought Braeden might have been involved in your fall. They had their guns pointed at him when you appeared."

A wave of shock crossed Olive's face, and she glanced at the two men who had once been her protectors. The tension in the air was palpable as she absorbed the information.

"Guys, I've got the coast guard!" Killian announced, breaking the tense silence. Olive took the radio, her voice shaking as she explained their situation to the operator. The coast guard promised to arrive in less than four hours, instructing them to have someone stay by the radio.

As they prepared for the coast guard's arrival, each person grappled with the knowledge that trust had frayed under the weight of suspicion and fear. But amidst the turmoil, they knew one thing for certain: they had to stick together to survive the nightmare that had engulfed them all.