Secrets of Blackwater Bay

the air, but the sound had long since faded into the background for him. The ocean was always restless here, relentless and wild, much like the though

become even more so in recent years-ever since the death of Margaret Hartley. Jack had known her for most of his life, and though the town gossiped about

ct that she had passed; it was the suddenness of it. One day, she had been ther

arrived at Blackthorn Manor, standing on the edge of the gravel driveway with a kind of lost l

r looked back. She was different from her grandmother,that much was clear. Where Margaret had been a private, guarded woman, Emma seemed more ope

d always been there. He had spent enough time around the place to know its dark corners, its hidden rooms. He had worked odd jobs there when he was younge

mansion. Her hair blew wildly in the wind, and she was moving quickly, as if she couldn't get away from the house fast enough. Somethi

d these cliffs, especially in weather like this. The rocks

kicked in. Without thinking, Jack took off toward her, his boots pounding against the rocky ground. He was fast, but the terrain was unfo

. For a split second, their eyes met-hers wide with shock, his dark and intense. The wind whipped betw

finally asked, his v

ly as she tried to catch her breath. "I-uh-yeah. I'm f

nto stable ground. "You don't look fine. You need to be

from the near fall. "I didn't rea

k as he gave her space. "This place has

if she was trying to figure out who he

a small nod. "I live here in town. Wor

licker of recognition crossing her f

s a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Small towns, y

hough it didn't reach her

ied her, noting the way she held herself. She seemed guarded, like she was putting up a

ay?" he asked, his tone mo

ion in the distance. "I needed some fresh ai

house had a way of closing in on you, suffocatin

lot?" she asked, turning

o many people around, but she needed h

to piece something together. "Did she ever...

poke about her family, especially not Emma. But there had been moments-small, fleeting o

g to keep it simple. "She wasn't the

lame her for wanting answers. The woman who had left her the mansion had

g the conversation away from Margaret

dmitted quietly. "I guess... I needed to know why she left me the house. We

d see the uncertainty in her eyes, the weight of something she did not say. But he did

let me know," he offered, his voice casual. "

rowing slightly. "Why would you

knew your grandmot

med surprised by his offer, as if she wasn't used to pe

, though she still seemed hesitan

f orange and pink. The cliffs were bathed in a warm, golden light, but the shadows creeping in from the east reminded him of the sha

k said after a moment. "It

kly the daylight was fading. She nodded, then turned back towar

ed away, her figure growing smaller a

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out Emma's arrival didn't sit right with him. It wasn't just the fact that she was back in Blackthorn, or that sh

to clear his thoughts. He

ld mess with your mind, make you see things that weren't there. B

urned away from the ocean, his jaw clenched. Whatever it was, he would be ready for it. H

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