The Whistler In The Night

Chapter 34

After hours of questioning at the police station, I was finally free to leave. They'd asked me every possible question about L's escape—how he'd vanished the second the shots rang out, leaving only blood and shadows behind. After I assured them I'd told them everything I knew, a police car took me back to the hotel. I sank into the seat, my thoughts drifting far away.

It wasn't L haunting my mind now; it was Scarlet. She was safe, yes, but she was also gone. She hadn't just left the barn; she'd left me, without so much as a word. I couldn't wrap my mind around it, and the emptiness gnawed at me.

As the rain began to beat down against the window, I felt a sudden urge to see her. I wanted to understand, to talk to her, to hold her like before. I pulled on a jacket, thick and warm, and made my way outside, letting the rain soak into my skin as I waited for a taxi.

"Where to?" the driver asked, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

"The seashore," I murmured, "by the cliffs." It was the place where Scarlet and I had spent my birthday, where she'd surprised me with that cake under the sunset. I'd never felt more at peace than I did with her that evening, and it felt like the only place to go now.

As we drove through the rain-soaked city, the streetlights blurred past, casting an eerie glow against the wet pavement. Memories flooded my mind—Scarlet's laugh, her warm hugs, the way her eyes softened when she looked at me. My chest tightened with longing and regret, and I watched the rain carve paths down the window, mirroring my own tangled emotions.

We finally arrived, and I stepped out into the relentless rain, pulling my hood down and staring out over the churning waves. The shore stretched out before me, empty and desolate—except for one lone figure. Scarlet. She was sitting in the same spot where we'd shared those precious moments on my birthday. Her shoulders were hunched, and even from a distance, I could see her wiping tears from her face, her chest rising and falling with shaky breaths.

For a moment, I just stood there, letting the rain soak through my clothes as I watched her. Every part of me wanted to run to her, but something held me back, as if I were rooted to the ground. The pain on her face mirrored the ache in my heart. We were both here, suffering in silence, separated by a gulf of hurt and fear.

I took a deep breath, stepping forward, my footsteps muffled by the rain. When I got close enough, she looked up, her eyes widening as she noticed me. Her face, wet from tears and rain, looked more vulnerable than I'd ever seen.

"Evan..." she whispered, barely audible over the crashing waves.

"Scarlet," I replied, my voice raw with emotion.

I couldn't hold back anymore. Without another word, I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her, feeling her warmth seep through the cold and dampness. She looked up at me, eyes wide, then slowly closed them as I leaned in. I kissed her deeply, letting everything I felt pour into that moment—the sorrow, the regret, the love, the hope. The rain fell around us, cold and relentless, but none of it mattered. In that kiss, everything else disappeared.

When we finally pulled away, I rested my forehead against hers, both of us breathing heavily, hearts pounding. We stood there in silence, letting the rain fall, knowing that for this one moment, nothing else could touch us.