Shadowbrook

Chapter 11: Beneath the Surface

"Answers lead to new enemies, and the man responsible for Sam's death is closer than ever. Cassidy and Evan must decide how far they'll go to take him down."

Thomas North stared at us, his expression unreadable, as we stood frozen in the doorway. The dim light from the moon cast shadows across his face, highlighting the deep lines etched into his skin. He looked like a man who had spent years carrying the weight of secrets too dark to speak of.

I felt Evan tense beside me, but he didn't say a word. He was waiting, watching, just like I was. We both knew this moment was coming, but standing here in front of Thomas felt different. The stakes were higher now. We weren't just searching for answers anymore—we were standing face-to-face with the man who had played a part in everything that had destroyed our lives.

Thomas's gaze drifted between us, his eyes cold and calculating. "Well," he said, his voice gravelly, "I knew you'd come eventually, but I didn't expect it to be tonight."

"We need answers," Evan said, his voice sharp and steady. "No more lies. No more games."

Thomas chuckled darkly, leaning back in his chair. "Answers, huh? You think the truth is going to help you? You think once you know, everything will make sense, and you can just walk away?"

I stepped forward, my pulse quickening. "We're not walking away. Not until we know what happened to my brother."

Thomas's eyes flicked to me, and for a moment, something shifted in his expression—something almost like pity. "Your brother," he said slowly, his voice softening. "Sam Harper."

My heart raced as I met his gaze, my body rigid with tension. "Yes. I want to know why he was killed."

Thomas sighed, his fingers tapping against the armrest of his chair. "You sure you want to know? Sometimes the truth isn't what you think it is. Sometimes, it's worse."

"I don't care," I snapped, my frustration boiling over. "I've been chasing this for too long to stop now. If you know something about Sam's death, you need to tell us."

For a long moment, Thomas was silent. He studied me, his eyes narrowing as if he was weighing whether or not to speak. Finally, he let out a low breath, his shoulders sagging slightly.

"Fine," he said, his voice a mixture of resignation and bitterness. "You want to know the truth? I'll give it to you. But it's not going to change anything."

Evan stepped forward, his eyes locked on his uncle. "Start talking."

Thomas leaned forward in his chair, his hands resting on his knees as he stared at the floor. "Your brother was a good kid, Cassidy. I didn't want things to go the way they did. But he got too close. He was trying to protect someone he loved, but he didn't know what he was up against."

"Your family," I muttered, my voice tight. "Your family's involved in all of this, aren't they?"

Thomas nodded slowly. "The North family's been running things in this town for generations. The docks, the businesses, even some of the police. We've kept things quiet, kept the money flowing, and made sure no one asked too many questions."

"But it wasn't just our family," Evan said, his voice cold. "There are others. People connected to you—people who would do anything to keep their secrets buried."

Thomas's eyes darkened, and for a moment, he looked almost regretful. "There are always others, Evan. We were just part of the machine. And your sister... she was caught in the middle of something bigger than all of us."

I felt a chill run down my spine at the mention of Evan's sister. "What happened to her?"

Thomas hesitated, his jaw tightening. "She knew too much. She thought she could run, thought she could escape it. But the people she was running from—people who worked with our family—they didn't let her go. And Sam... he got caught in the crossfire."