Chapter 26 - The Storm at Cliff Point
The wind howled off the North Atlantic like a pack of starving wolves, driving sheets of freezing rain sideways against the rusted metal siding of the abandoned lighthouse. The waves crashed violently against the jagged black rocks fifty feet below, sending up massive plumes of white spray that dissolved into the pitch-black night.
Adam parked the SUV a hundred yards down the winding dirt access road, cutting the headlights. The engine ticked softly as it cooled down in the freezing air.
"You can't go down there alone, Adam," I said, unbuckling my seatbelt and reaching for the door handle. "It’s a trap. Julian isn't just looking for money; he wants to destroy everything your family stands for."
"That's exactly why I have to go," Adam said, turning to me with an expression of fierce, unyielding determination. He reached over, cupping my cheek with a warm, steady hand. "He has the blanket. He has the final piece of leverage that ties our family to this nightmare. I need to end this once and for all so we can finally raise our daughter in peace."
"I'm coming with you," I insisted, my voice leaving no room for argument. "I survived your mother pushing me down a staircase, Adam. Do you really think a little rain and a bitter relative are going to keep me in the car?"
A faint, tired smile touched the corners of Adam’s lips. He nodded slowly, pulling a heavy waterproof flashlight from the glove compartment. Together, we pushed open the doors and stepped out into the raging gale.
May you like
The walk to the base of the lighthouse felt like marching through the mouth of hell. The mud sucked at our boots, and the howling wind made it nearly impossible to breathe. As we rounded the corner of the crumbling stone structure, the beam of our flashlight cut through the dark, revealing Julian standing near the rusted iron railing at the edge of the cliff, holding the yellow blanket in one hand as the sea breeze whipped his trench coat around him.
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