They met Chief Sullivan at the beacon an hour before low tide. The chief had brought Officer Daniels and proper cave exploration equipment: rope, waterproof flashlights, and safety harnesses. His expression suggested skepticism about Vivienne’s “feelings” but also recognition that her insights had proven accurate before.
“Miss Hawthorne believes there’s an entrance to underground chambers accessible through the sea caves. Given the tidal patterns and what we know about Lily Morgan’s disappearance, it’s worth investigating.”
Sullivan studied the rocky coastline, calculating risk. “The caves are dangerous even at low tide. Sharp rocks, unstable footing, limited time before the water rises again. If we’re going in, we do it by the book: safety protocols, constant communication, and we’re out at the first sign of trouble.”
“Understood.”
Vivienne stood slightly apart, her fingers wrapped around Emmeline’s compass. The needle spun, then pointed toward a section of cliff face that appeared solid from this angle. “There. Behind that rock formation.”
They descended, using the rope system Daniels had set up. The footing was treacherous, made worse by seaweed and spray from the retreating tide. Vivienne moved with confidence, her boots finding purchase on the slick rocks.
The opening was exactly where she’d indicated, a narrow fissure partially obscured by the natural rock formation. Brooks shone his light inside, revealing a passage that widened after the first few feet.
“I’ll go first,” he said, but Vivienne was already moving forward.
“The spirits are strongest near entrances. I need to be in front to read their guidance clearly.”
Before Brooks could argue, she’d slipped through the opening. He followed with Sullivan and Daniels close behind. The passage opened into a larger cave system, the walls glistening with moisture and phosphorescent algae providing an eerie greenish glow.
Vivienne paused, her hand pressed against the stone. “She was here. Lily. I can feel her terror, her desperate attempt toescape.” She moved deeper into the cave, following a path that seemed invisible to the others.
“How can you know?—”
Brooks raised a hand to silence Sullivan. “Just follow her. I’ve seen enough to trust her instincts.”
They moved through the cave system, descending toward the sound of rushing water. The temperature dropped, and the air grew thick with salt and decay. Then the passage opened into a larger chamber, and Brooks’s light caught on something that made his stomach clench.
Bones. Human bones, scattered across the rocky floor and partially submerged in the tidal pool at the chamber’s center.
“Oh God.” Sullivan’s voice came out hoarse.
Vivienne knelt beside the remains, her face pale but composed. “Lily Morgan. She’s been here all along, waiting for someone to find her.” She looked up at Brooks, tears streaming down her face but her voice steady. “And she’s not alone. There are others. The Aldrich family has been using this place for decades.”
Brooks moved forward with his flashlight, documenting the scene with the camera on his phone, which automatically backed up to his cloud storage. The bones showed signs of trauma, fractures consistent with being struck or thrown. And there, half-buried in the sand, was a corroded camera. Lily’s camera, still containing the memory card that might hold evidence of what she’d discovered.
“We need forensics. We need to secure this entire area,” Brooks said.
“And we need to find Melissa Clarkson before she ends up here too,” Sullivan added solemnly.
Vivienne stood, wiping her eyes. “She’s not here. They’re keeping her somewhere else, somewhere they can watch her,control her. The passages Lily documented in her research, that’s where we’ll find Melissa.”
“Can you locate those tunnels?”
“I can. But we need to move quickly. The Aldriches know we’re getting close. They’ll eliminate Melissa soon if they haven’t already, and we have to watch for the tide.”
As they prepared to leave the chamber, marking the location for the state forensics team, Vivienne paused at the entrance. She placed her hand on the stone, whispering words in French that Brooks didn’t understand. When she turned back, her expression had shifted from grief to determination.
“Lily’s spirit is here. She’s ready to crossover. She’ll be able to rest, knowing the truth will finally be revealed.” Vivienne met Brooks’s eyes. “But first, we have a life to save.”
They climbed back out of the caves as the tide began to turn, racing against both time and rising water. Brooks knew they’d crossed a threshold. This was no longer just a missing persons case, but a murder investigation spanning decades. And somewhere in the passages beneath Westerly Cove, Melissa Clarkson was running out of time.
EIGHT
brooks
Vivienne’s textarrived at 6:47 AM, pulling Brooks from restless sleep.
Vivienne:Vision last night. Saw where they held Melissa before moving her. The hidden cove below the lighthouse headland. We need to go now before the tide comes in.
