Chapter 38 - Visiting The Brody Farmhouse
Chapter 38 - Visiting The Brody Farmhouse
CLAIRE
Steam curled around me as I stood under Ethan’s shower.For a long moment, I just stood there, letting the heat try to wash away the last few days
It didn’t work.
Grayhaven had been nothing but one storm after another. I had come here thinking I’d finally get some peace working under Thomas Wren. Instead, I’d fallen headfirst into something darker than anything I’d ever seen. Murder and corruption things that made L.A. look tame.
I shut off the water and just stared at the mirror. My reflection looked like someone I didn’t know : pale skin,tangled hair and hollow eyes
Then, out of nowhere, I realized something that made my stomach twist.I hadn’t thought about Daniel in almost two months.
Daniel the man who’d wrecked my life in L.A., the one I’d trusted too easily and loved too hard. The one who’d taken everything and left me in pieces.
Two months in Grayhaven had buried him under chaos. That realization hit like a jolt. Maybe that was the only good thing about this cursed town, it had left no room for ghosts.
I pulled on the clothes Ethan had left for me. His shirt hung loose on me and it smelt just like him. The scent made my chest tighten in a strange way. I wasn’t sure what to call it.
When I stepped into the hallway, the faint smell of burnt food drifted toward me. I followed it to the kitchen, passing the window where the brick had shattered the glass an hour way.
Ethan had patched it with a board, but the truth was someone out there knew where we were now. And it was probably the masked man.
Downstairs, I found him standing by the stove, staring at the Polaroid like it held all the answers in the world. Meanwhile His eggs were burning to a crisp.
Evan,” I called, stepping closer. No response. “Evan!”
He blinked like someone waking from a bad dream, eyes flicking from the Polaroid to the stove. “Damn it!” He yanked the pan off the burner, coughing as a cloud of smoke filled the kitchen.
I grabbed a towel, waving it toward the alarm. “Well, that’s one way to start a fire.”
He let out a breath, half laugh, half groan. “Guess I’m not opening a diner anytime soon.”
“Good call,” I said, setting the pan in the sink. “You’d get arrested for endangering public health.”
That earned a faint smile, but his gaze drifted back to the photo in his hand. The humor faded.
“It’s the lighthouse,” he murmured. “The same spot Daniel vanished.”
His voice was quiet. “I keep telling myself to let go of my obsession with finding Daniel but it’s like this town won’t let me. Every time I think I can breathe, something pulls me back under.”
I hesitated, then said softly, “Maybe it’s not the town. Maybe it’s your gut telling you you’re not done yet.”
He looked up at me with tired eyes “You think so?”
“I think the truth has a way of finding stubborn people,” I said. “And you’re the most stubborn person I’ve met in a while.”
A slow grin tugged at his mouth. “Coming from you, that’s practically a compliment.”
“Take it before I change my mind.”
We were still laughing when Dr. Cross appeared in the doorwaycoat in hand. He looked worn out and he had his bag slung over one shoulder.
“Lila’s stable,” he said. “Fever’s down and here pulse steady. She’ll need close watching for the next twenty-four hours. Don’t let her move much.”
I nodded quickly. “We'll stay with her.”
Dr Cross gave me a long look. “You should rest too, Monroe. You look like you’ve been hit by a truck.”
“Feels accurate,” I said under my breath.
He turned to Evan. “If anything changes, call me. I have to get back to the hospital ”
“I can drive you back,” I offered.
He shook his head. “No. I’ll manage. Just… keep your guard up Whoever threw that brick, they wanted to send a message.”
I met his eyes. “We got it loud and clear.”
Cross gave a grim nod and stepped out into the rain, disappearing down in
Evan exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. “He’s right, you know. We’re not safe here anymore.”
“Then we move,” I said. “We follow the lead and investigate the lighthouse.”
He looked at me, studying my face like he was reading something there. “You’re not going to stop until this is done, are you?”
I shook my head. “Would you?”
He smiled faintly. “Guess not."
I leaned against the counter. “There’s something I need to do,” I said finally. “Lila’s things are still at the Brody farmhouse. We left everything when we pulled her out of there. Who knows there might be somethings over there ”
Evan frowned. “You really think it’s safe to go back?”
“Safe?” I gave a dry laugh. “That word doesn’t exist here anymore. But if someone’s been watching us, they already know where we’ve been. I’d rather face it on my terms.”
He studied me for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “All right. But you’re not going alone.”
“I’ll be fine,” I said, forcing a small smile. “You should stay here with Lila. She needs someone to keep an eye on her in case the fever spikes again.”
He didn’t look convinced. “I don’t like it, Claire. That place gives me a bad feeling.”
“Everything in this town gives me a bad feeling,” I said quietly. “But we can’t ignore it. Not anymore.”
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The air smelled faintly of burnt eggs and coffee. Then Evan sighed and set two plates on the table. “At least eat something before you go. I managed to save the toast from the fire.”
I sat down, exhaustion as he poured coffee into chipped mugs. “Not bad,” I said after a bite.
He smirked. “See? Miracles happen.”
I looked toward the stairs, where Lila slept, and then back at Evan. “If I’m not back by noon—”
“You’ll be back,” he said firmly. “Just… be careful, Claire.”
I nodded, finishing my coffee. “Always.”