The Sit - N - Spill Chronicles: Brewing

Chapter 11

The next day the pair had went back to Annie's house to dig around for old documents. A stack of old newspapers and faded legal documents lay spread across the table in Annie's living room. The air was heavy with the faint scent of freshly brewed tea and the tension of unspoken worries. Annie scanned an article dated nearly a decade earlier, her finger trailing over the headline: Local Business Owners Abruptly Close Shop Amidst Controversy.

"I remember this," Annie said softly, glancing at Kane. "The corner bookstore. Miss Hattie used to run it—she was the sweetest woman, always kept a bowl of candy for the kids."

Kane leaned over the table, his brow furrowed as he flipped to another page. "Miss Hattie moved to her sister's upstate, didn't she?"

Annie shook her head. "That's what everyone said, but no one ever heard from her after she left." Her voice wavered, a quiet thread of fear weaving its way through her words. "Just... gone."

Kane rubbed his jaw, the tension in his shoulders visible. "This isn't a coincidence. These 'others'—Miss Hattie, the guy who ran the hardware store, even that family who owned the inn—they all opposed the council's plans, didn't they?"

Annie nodded. "And they all disappeared, one way or another."

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the realization pressing down on them. The council's reach wasn't just about tearing down buildings or stealing land—it was personal, calculated, and dangerous.

Finally, Kane spoke, his voice steady but low. "We have to be careful, Annie. If they're willing to go this far...they won't hesitate to come after us."

The thought sent a shiver down her spine, but she straightened in her chair, determined. "They can try, but they won't scare me off. I'm not leaving."

Kane's eyes softened as he looked at her, admiration flickering in his gaze. "You're braver than most, Annie Faye."

Her lips quirked into a faint smile. "Maybe. Or just stubborn."

"Either way," he said, reaching out to brush a loose strand of hair from her cheek, "I'm with you. Whatever it takes."

The gesture was small, but it sent warmth spreading through Annie's chest. She met his gaze, and for a moment, the room seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in the quiet space between their shared fears and growing connection.

Annie's heart thudded, and she quickly looked away, pretending to shuffle through the papers. "We should keep digging," she said, her voice a little too quick.

Kane leaned back, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Of course. Work first."

But the atmosphere between them had shifted, the tension no longer just about the danger they faced but the undeniable pull drawing them closer.

As the hours passed, their search uncovered more troubling details—lawsuits buried under bureaucratic red tape, permits issued under questionable circumstances, and whispers of a shadowy figure tied to the council's dealings. Kane's jaw tightened with every revelation, his protective instincts sharpening.

"We need more than just speculation," Kane said. "Something concrete that links them to these threats and disappearances."

"Then we need to find someone who's still here," Annie replied. "Someone who was close enough to the others to know what really happened."

Their eyes met, the unspoken challenge clear: they had to go deeper, even if it meant risking everything.

"Annie! Kane!" Carol greeted them, her voice as warm as always. She wiped her hands on a towel before reaching out to give Annie a hug. Mae did the same for Kane, her sturdy frame enveloping him for a brief moment.