Chapter 75: Through the Lens
The cabin sat tucked behind a wall of cypress trees, too quiet for what was unraveling inside. The lake out front barely moved, its surface still and silver, like a mirror frozen in time.
It should have felt peaceful. Instead, it felt like something was about to snap. Merlina’s eyes darted to the corner of the room, just for a second.
The last time she was here, there’d been warmth, even if it was confusing. Craig had made her coffee she didn’t drink, sat beside her without saying too much. Back then, the silence had felt different. Charged, sure, but not dangerous. It hadn’t been this sharp.
Now the air felt tighter. Like the cabin itself was clenched tight, waiting for the truth to drop.
She sat stiffly on the edge of the leather chair, hands curled into her sleeves. Three hours had passed since Craig had made a call and told her simply, "He’s on air. ETA: 2 hours." She didn’t ask further questions.
Now Miles, a lean, sharp-eyed man with fingers quicker than thought, was hunched over a laptop at the dining table. He’d walked in, nodded, taken her phone, plugged it in, and gone to work.
Craig stood by the window, arms folded, watching the lake like it might shift and offer some clarity.
Merlina crossed the room and stopped a few feet away from him. "You flew a Tech Sleuth into Belford. Should I be impressed or concerned?"
Craig turned. "Both."
Their eyes locked.
No smile. No quip. Just a breath shared in silence, heavy, tender, and impossibly close.