Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 102280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“Can I help you find something?” The teenage clerk approached with eager helpfulness.
“Just camping supplies,” Lily replied, selecting items with practiced casualness. “Overnight photography project.”
“Cool. Those heavy-duty batteries last way longer.”
At the checkout, she maintained light conversation while her stomach churned. In a few hours, she and Sarah would explore a passage that might hold the key to understanding the lighthouse’s hidden history.
Or they might walk into a trap.
Sarah waited in her car, drumming fingers on the steering wheel. “Got everything?”
“Flashlights, batteries, chalk, measuring tape.” Lily slid into the passenger seat. “What about you? Still having second thoughts?”
“Third and fourth thoughts. But you’re right about one thing—if people are already nervous about your questions, waiting won’t make us safer.”
They drove toward the lighthouse as the sun dropped toward the horizon. The white tower caught the golden light, looking peaceful and ordinary. But Lily now knew that beneath its foundation lay secrets someone had killed to protect.
“Ground rules,” Sarah said as they parked behind a stand of pine trees that would hide the car from the road. “One hour maximum. We stick together. First sign of danger, we leave immediately.”
“Agreed.” Lily shouldered her camera bag and equipment. “But Sarah, if we find something significant—”
“One hour, Lily. I mean it.”
They approached the concealed entrance as twilight deepened around them. The false wall section looked indistinguishable from the surrounding stonework, but Lily’s fingers found the hidden mechanism easily. The mechanical click echoed in the evening quiet.
The passage opened before them, revealing smooth stone walls that disappeared into darkness. Cool air flowed from the depths, carrying scents of salt and something else—something that made Lily’s throat tighten.
“Last chance to change your mind,” Sarah whispered.
“Never.” Lily switched on her flashlight, its beam penetrating the blackness ahead. “Come on. Let’s find out what’s going on.”
They stepped into the tunnel together, leaving the world of sunlight and safety behind them. The passage was narrow but well-constructed, with level flooring and what appeared to be ventilation shafts. Someone had built this for regular use, not emergency access.
“This is professional work,” Sarah murmured, running her hand along the smooth wall. “This took serious planning and construction skills.”
Lily photographed everything as they advanced—the stonework, the ventilation system, the electrical conduits that suggested modern updates to historical architecture. Each frame documented evidence that would prove the lighthouse held more secrets than its official history suggested.
The passage curved gently to the right, leading them deeper beneath the lighthouse. Lily marked their route with chalk arrows, creating a trail they could follow back to safety. The air grew cooler as they descended, and she could hear the distant sound of water moving through hidden channels.
“Lily,” Sarah’s voice carried concern. “Look at this.”
The passage had opened into a larger chamber. Sarah’s flashlight beam revealed modern shipping containers arranged against the walls, their metal surfaces reflecting light back at them. Between the containers, wooden crates bore shipping labels in multiple languages.
“This isn’t historical,” Lily breathed. “This is happening now.”
She raised her camera, hands trembling. The flash illuminated row after row of containers, each one representing evidence that could expose whatever operation the Aldrich family had been running for decades.
“What’s in them?” Sarah whispered.
“Nothing legal, I’d guess.” Lily moved closer to examine the shipping labels. “Look at these dates. Some of these containers arrived last month.”
They explored the chamber methodically, photographing everything while maintaining careful awareness of their surroundings. The scope of the operation impressed and terrified them—this wasn’t some small-time smuggling scheme. This was a sophisticated network that had operated beneath their town for decades.
“Lily, we need to leave.” Sarah’s voice carried urgency. “We’ve documented enough. This is evidence of serious criminal activity.”
“Just a few more photos.” Lily moved toward a stack of papers on a makeshift desk. “These look like shipping manifests.”
The documents revealed patterns that made her stomach turn. Ships arriving at specific coordinates offshore. Payments to officials she recognized—the harbor master, even the mayor. This wasn’t just smuggling. This was a network of corruption that infected her entire town.
“They’re trafficking people,” she whispered, studying a manifest that listed “passengers” alongside cargo specifications. “Look at these numbers. They’re moving human beings like cargo.”
“Lily, we have to go. Now.” Sarah grabbed her arm. “This is way beyond what we can handle.”
But Lily had spotted something else—a communication setup with radios, computers, and what looked like surveillance monitors. The equipment appeared professional-grade, the kind used by law enforcement or intelligence agencies.
“They’re monitoring everything,” she realized, photographing the surveillance screens. “Police communications, harbor traffic, probably even our conversations.”
“Which means they might know we’re here.” Sarah’s grip tightened. “Lily, please. We’ve got enough evidence to—”
A sound echoed through the chamber—the mechanical click of the entrance opening above them.
Both girls froze, flashlights suddenly announcing their presence to whoever approached. Footsteps echoed down the passage, deliberate and unhurried. Someone knew exactly where they were.