AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The imposing silhouette of Castle St Martins finally loomed ahead, its ancient stone walls casting eerie shadows under the moonlight. Finn parked well before the entrance, ensuring their arrival would remain inconspicuous. They exited the car, the cold air biting at their cheeks as they moved closer to the historic structure.
"Let's try the South East wing," Amelia suggested, her voice hushed as if afraid the very walls could hear them. "There's a perfect view of the river below from there."
Finn followed her lead, his senses heightened, every small creak or rustle setting his nerves on edge. They walked along the deserted road, listening to the gravel crunch beneath their feet before slipping to the side of the castle walls. They wandered around the perimeter, their breaths visible in the frosty air.
As they reached the South East wing, the river below glistened in the moonlight, its hypnotic flow contrasting with the stillness surrounding the castle. The beauty of the scene did little to ease the tension that clung to them, the knowledge that they were trespassing on hallowed ground filling the air with an undeniable sense of foreboding.
"Let's be careful here," Finn whispered, his eyes scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger. "We don't know what we might find."
"Agreed," Amelia replied, her gaze never leaving the ancient stones that held countless secrets within their depths. "But we have to uncover the truth, no matter how unsettling it may be."
The scaffolding surrounding the castle's South East wing seemed to stretch endlessly into the night sky, a skeleton clinging to the ancient stones. Finn could feel the weight of history pressing down on him as if the very air was thick with secrets and whispers.
"Hey, Finn," Amelia murmured, her voice barely audible over the gentle lapping of the river below. "Do you think this will be our last case together?"
He hesitated, considering his still-uncertain future. "I don't know," he admitted. "I'm still waiting on a court date back in the US. It could go either way. I'm hoping it will be in the new year, but who knows?"
Amelia looked at him with those striking green eyes that always seemed to see right through him. "You know, I half expected to find out you were leaving earlier today." She paused and then added softly, "It wouldn't have been a tragedy, but... it would have been bad if you had left."
Finn felt a surge of warmth towards her, an urge to reach out and hold her close. He knew their partnership was more than just professional, but the memory of Demi – his estranged fiancee who wanted to patch things up – held him back. Guilt gnawed at him as he struggled with the conflicting desires that tugged at his heart.
"Amelia, I–" he began, but the words caught in his throat when he took a step forward, his foot landing on a few loose boards of wood hidden in the shadows. They shattered beneath his weight, and suddenly, he found himself falling into a dark abyss.
"FINN!" Amelia's scream echoed through the cold night air as she lunged for him, her fingers grasping futilely at empty space.
Finn tried to grab hold of anything, but it was too late.
And then there was nothing but darkness.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Finn grunted as he hit the cold, damp ground of the tunnel. The wind knocked out of him and for a moment, he panicked. Checking his side, he didn't think he'd broken a rib, just fallen awkwardly. Instinctively, he staggered to his feet.
“Finn!” Amelia yelled from about ten feet above him, her voice filled with concern. “Are you okay!?”
“One minute,” he gasped, still trying to catch his breath. Slowly, the pain in his chest and side subsided and he was able to speak properly.
Now, he felt relief wash over him that he had landed without injury. He quickly scanned the darkness around him with keen eyes, taking in his surroundings before turning back to help Amelia.
"Are you alright?" Amelia called down again, her soothing voice echoing within the confined space.
"Nothing a stiff drink can't fix," Finn replied, chuckling at his wisecrack despite the tense situation and rubbing his side. "I'll give you a hand," he said, reaching up to help Amelia climb down into the tunnel.
With Finn's assistance, Amelia carefully descended, dropping down into his arms from high above. Her red hair shone like fiery threads in the dim light filtering through the hole above them. As soon as she was safely inside, the two detectives exchanged a glance, their eyes dim wells in the darkness.
"Let's see where this leads," Finn suggested, pulling out a small flashlight from his jacket pocket. It cast a narrow beam of light that cut through the darkness, revealing a seemingly endless stretch of tunnel ahead.
"Stay close," Amelia cautioned, her voice barely audible above the sound of their footsteps on the dirt floor. "We don't want to get separated."
"For once, I couldn't agree more," Finn murmured, his mind already working through multiple scenarios of what they might find and how it could connect to the murders they were investigating.
“What is this place?” Amelia asked. “Do you think it's the old smuggler tunnels from the coast?”
“Maybe,” Finn said. “Some of it is definitely old, but then, I'd swear on parts of the walls, some of it looks... More recently dug. I'm sure I can see power tool marks. Whatever it is, no one goes to this sort of trouble without reason.”
“Or without trying to hide something,” Amelia added. “But there were wooden boards over the hole. That doesn't seem very diligent.”
“I guess they were put there in a hurry,” Finn said. “Maybe there was a cave in and someone wanted to cover it up temporarily until a more permanent fix could be attempted.”
