Page 15 of When You're Close

“Or maybe he'll know someone who can cut through this metal,” Amelia said.

“Good idea.”

Leaving Amelia with the officers, Finn began his ascent to the ridge. It was a short but steep climb, made slippery by the recent rainfall. By the time he got there, he saw that the stranger had moved and was half way up a further steep incline to the top of the cliffs where Huldra House stood.

Taking a deep breath in the wind and rain, Finn followed. It was a tough climb, and the man had clearly done it more than once.

Reaching the plateau, Finn found the stranger standing nearly at the edge, looking out to the sea. The man was tall, with the rugged features of someone who had spent many years weathering storms. His graying beard was unkempt, and he wore a long, brown raincoat that seemed to have seen better days.

"A man only follows another yin up a hill if he has questions," the man remarked in a thick accent, his voice low and gravelly. He turned to face Finn and gave him an intense, furled stare.

"I do have questions," Finn replied cautiously. "Did you witness what happened here by any chance?"

The man looked back at the scene far below, his expression unreadable. "Only the island knows the truth of that tale. Are you here to listen to it?"

Finn sighed impatiently. "Enough of the fortune telling. I'm with the police investigation. I need answers, not riddles."

The man's eyes met Finn's. "McReady. I'm the caretaker for Huldra Island Lighthouse. It's not far from here." He pointed to the distance. Far away, around another inlet of the island, Finn could see a tall white lighthouse standing in the mist.

“Lighthouse?” Finn said. “Were you manning it two nights ago?”

“I wis, that, laddie,” he said grimly.

“And did you...”

“I saw the boat," McReady said. "Oot past spindle point. The water's rough out there. I only saw it for a moment. Then, it was gone. The sea carried it out past my line of sight."

“Were you worried for anyone on board?”

“Aye," the man nodded. A seagull passed overhead, cawing. He looked up at it and wiped his brow before looking back at Finn. "He didnae answer any calls on the radio, so I got out of the lighthouse and tried to get a better look on the other side of the hill."

He shook his head and looked despondent in a way that Finn intimately understood. It was the look of someone who felt they had let a life slip through their fingers.

“The storm stopped you?” Finn asked, gently.

“Aye," he answered. "I raised the alarm, but nobody could get out there in time. We had no idea where the boat went. We only found it at first light when there was a break in the weather. I came up here to look, saw the boat, and then I noticed something under the docks below. I went down and... There the poor man was under it."

“I'm sorry,” Finn said, wondering if it were all true or if he was involved. But he seemed sincere. “That must have been horrible. Mr McReady, do you know of any locals who could be capable of this?”

The man looked earnestly at Finn. "Every human is capable of that. We keep it locked up inside, hidden. But if we find that key, any man can do harm. I dinnae ken anyone who I'd think was a killer. But ye never know.”

Finn walked over to the edge of the cliff and looked down. He could see Amelia still standing there, but she was looking up at him. He waved, and she waved back. Then he looked around and saw the lighthouse in the distance. An idea then came to him.

"Since you're the lighthouse keeper, Mr McReady, do you have any tools or equipment that could cut through iron?"

McReady nodded slowly, studying Finn intently. "Yes, I have a few heavy-duty tools for maintaining the land attached to the lighthouse. I've got a petrol-powered buzz saw that I use for taking down blown down trees. Why dae ye ask?"

Finn hesitated for a moment before responding, "We need to free the body. It's trapped under the dock. They'll have to send to the mainland to get the equipment we need, but if you have a buzz saw, that might do it. Any help you can offer would be appreciated."

The older man paused, weighing the request. After what felt like an eternity, he finally nodded. "Aye. I couldnae save the lad, the least I can dae is help get his body back to his family."

Finn nodded in agreement. “Thanks, Mr McReady. I appreciate.”

“The name's Tam, my laddie," he replied. "C'mon, let's get this over with. You wait doon there, I'll be right back."

“I can help carry...” Finn said, before being cut off.

Tam put up his hand and shook his head. "Nae, laddie. I want to do this myself. I hope ye understand."

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