Shadowbrook

Chapter 4: Into the Dark

"Cassidy's brother wasn't the only one keeping secrets. The deeper she digs, the more she realizes that the past has never truly let go."

The lighthouse stood like a forgotten sentinel at the edge of the cliffs, its towering shadow lost in the thick fog that clung to the coastline. The wind had picked up since I'd left the Moonlight Room, howling through the empty streets, tugging at my jacket as I made my way through the overgrown path leading to the cliffs. The only sound was the relentless crash of the waves far below, a constant reminder of what this place had taken from me.

I pulled my jacket tighter around me as I reached the base of the lighthouse. The rusted door creaked open under my touch, the hinges groaning in protest, as if the building itself didn't want me inside. But I was past caring about warnings—cryptic or otherwise. I was here for the truth.

Nathan was waiting for me at the top.

The spiral staircase was narrow, winding upward into darkness, the weak beam of my flashlight barely cutting through the gloom. Each step echoed in the hollow space, the air growing colder as I climbed. The lighthouse had been abandoned for years, its walls crumbling and its once-bright light extinguished long ago. No one came here anymore—except me. And now, Nathan.

As I reached the top, I could see the faint outline of his figure, standing near the edge of the observation deck, silhouetted against the dark sky. The wind whipped through the open windows, carrying the scent of salt and something else—something old and musty, like decay.

"Nathan," I called out, my voice sounding small in the vast emptiness.

He turned slowly, his face shadowed in the dim light. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The tension between us hung heavy in the air, thickening with every passing second.

"You came," he said finally, his voice low, almost hollow. There was no warmth in his tone, no familiarity. Just exhaustion. Maybe even regret.

"I didn't have much of a choice, did I?" I replied, stepping closer. "You said you'd explain everything. So start explaining."

Nathan exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair. His eyes were tired, and the lines around his mouth looked deeper than before. He looked like a man who had been carrying a burden for far too long.

"You're not going to like what I have to say, Cass," he said quietly, turning to face the sea. "But you need to hear it."

"I've waited five years for the truth," I said, my voice sharp. "Don't keep me waiting any longer."

Nathan didn't answer right away. He stared out at the churning waves below, his hands gripping the rusted railing as if it was the only thing keeping him tethered to this place. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke.

"The night Sam died," he began, his voice barely audible over the wind, "he wasn't alone."

I felt my breath catch in my throat, my pulse quickening. "I know," I said, stepping closer. "He was with Evan's sister. What I don't know is why you've been hiding that from me."

Nathan flinched, his jaw tightening. "It's not that simple, Cass."

"Then make it simple," I snapped, the frustration and anger boiling over. "You've been lying to me for years, Nathan. You were there that night, weren't you?"

He didn't deny it. That alone was enough to make my blood run cold.

"I was," he admitted, his voice low and strained. "But I didn't know everything. Not until it was too late."

"What do you mean?" I demanded, my heart pounding. "What happened to Sam?"

Nathan turned to face me, his eyes filled with a mixture of pain and guilt that made my stomach twist. "Sam... he was in over his head. He'd gotten involved with something dangerous. Something he didn't understand."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice rising. "What was he involved in?"

Nathan's gaze dropped to the floor, his hands tightening on the railing. "Evan's family... they're not what you think."

My mind reeled. Evan's family? What did they have to do with any of this?

"Nathan, stop with the riddles. Just tell me the truth," I demanded, stepping closer, my fists clenched at my sides.

"They've been involved in the town's darker side for generations," Nathan said, his voice tight. "Smuggling, blackmail, even worse. Sam found out about it—he found something he shouldn't have."

"What did he find?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

"I don't know exactly," Nathan admitted, his voice cracking. "But it had to do with Evan's sister. She was supposed to leave with him that night, but she never showed. Sam... he didn't make it off the cliffs because they didn't let him."

I felt the ground shift beneath me. My brother's death wasn't an accident. It wasn't just a tragedy. It was a murder.

"But why? Why would they kill him?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Nathan's eyes met mine, dark and full of regret. "Because he knew too much."

My breath caught in my throat. I felt like I couldn't breathe, like the walls of the lighthouse were closing in around me. Sam had been killed to keep a secret. A secret that somehow involved Evan's family. And Nathan... Nathan had been there. He'd known.

"You've been protecting them," I whispered, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut. "You've been protecting them this whole time."

Nathan's face twisted with anguish. "I was trying to protect you, Cass. I didn't want you to get caught up in this."

I stared at him, my chest tightening with anger and betrayal. "You think lying to me for five years is protecting me? You let me believe my brother's death was an accident, when all this time, you knew the truth."

"I didn't know the whole truth," Nathan said, his voice desperate. "I swear, Cass, I didn't know they'd—"

I cut him off, shaking my head. "I trusted you, Nathan. You were supposed to be my friend. My family."

He reached for me, but I stepped back, my heart pounding in my chest. "Cass, please. I'm telling you now because it's not over. They know you're here, they know you're asking questions. And if you keep digging, they'll come after you, too."

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. Evan. I'd left him at the bar, but now I wasn't sure where he fit into all of this. Had he been part of his family's secret? Or had he been as clueless as me?

"You're telling me this now because you're scared," I said, my voice trembling with anger. "You're scared they're going to come after me. But I'm not scared, Nathan. I'm not going to stop until I find out what really happened."

"Cass—"

"No." I shook my head, my voice firm. "You're either with me or you're not. But I'm not walking away from this."

Nathan looked at me, his expression filled with a mixture of regret and something else—something I couldn't quite place.

"I can't let you do this alone," he said finally, his voice soft. "But if we're going to do this, you need to know what we're up against. Evan's family... they don't just control this town. They own it."

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over me like a suffocating blanket.

"We'll see about that," I said, turning and walking back toward the stairs, the wind whipping through the open windows.

Nathan's footsteps followed behind me, but I didn't look back. My mind was racing, my heart pounding with the anger and betrayal I'd been holding back for years.

This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.