Page 39 of When You're Close

Finn walked with purpose as the skies continued their gray dominance outside. The clouds above were beginning to move outside Huldra House, and Finn could feel in his bones that another gale was about to blow.

The expansive corridors of the old mansion led Finn and Amelia to the enormous kitchen. The vast array of copper pots hanging from the ceiling, a testament to the house's opulence, reflected the little ambient light seeping in from the windows. As they entered, they found the place devoid of human presence, the soft flicker of the evening candlelight the only movement.

"Seems Frederick's taken his leave before night," Finn remarked, noticing the absence of the butler. A handwritten note was left on the central island, confirming he'd gone home for the evening. Finn considered their options, "Should we give Kirsty a ring? She could probably drive us over to those watchers houses on the ridge."

Amelia raised a quizzical eyebrow. "After her omission about McGregor? You sure about that?"

Finn sighed, conceding the point. The more he thought about it, the more he realized it could complicate things by asking her for assistance. Even though he still believed that she made a bad decision while stuck between a rock and a hard place. "You're right. I'm still... unsettled about her keeping that from us. I suppose we should keep her out of things for now."

Silence descended for a few moments as Finn weighed their options. Finn finally broke the quiet again, "It's a bit of a hike to those houses, probably over a mile, and daylight's slipping away fast, I don't mind doing it alone. You could stay here, and if anything goes wrong, I'll..."

“No,” Amelia said gravely. “If there was another murder tonight without us doing anything, we wouldn't forgive ourselves. I am quite capable of hiking in this weather and terrain, Finn. It is going to be dark soon, though...”

Amelia, always the resourceful one, started rummaging through some cupboards. Her search was rewarded when she found a utility cupboard that contained, among other things, a couple of rugged flashlights. She handed one to Finn, her eyes gleaming with determination. "These should help if it gets dark before we reach the ridge."

Finn chuckled, activating his flashlight and placing it under his chin. "Are you ready for a night filled with tiny hidden folk and encounters of the ghostly kind, Winters? Mwuhahaha," he intoned in the exaggerated manner of a vintage horror movie villain.

Amelia laughed, a sound that was both amused and sarcastic. "Your face is scary enough without the added effects, Finn."

He smirked, "Touché, Winters. Touché."

With their banter momentarily settled and their flashlights at the ready, the two detectives set out, leaving behind the confines of Huldra House and venturing into the gray evening. As soon as they stepped out of the confines of the building, Finn felt a strong gust of wind and wondered how long they would have until the weather became dangerous again.

He'd never been anywhere so changeable, so quickly, and that unpredictability made him feel more off-kilter than he already was.

Under the waning light of the day, the moorland appeared even more haunting than before. Tall grasses rustled, whispering as they swayed, and the island's eerie silhouette played tricks on the eyes. The two detectives found themselves on a narrower path that veered off the main road leading to Huldra House. Above, the clouds growled menacingly.

Finn pointed ahead, "That pathway should lead us straight to the ridge. Looks like it winds its way up. I just hope we make it there and back before this storm comes."

They continued along the path, their flashlights cutting through the gathering shadows. The enveloping twilight and the soft rustling of grass caused Finn to glance over his shoulder more than once, he half expected to see the hooded figure of the wraith floating through the grass towards him.

As they walked, Amelia's voice broke the stillness, "Do you think we'll ever encounter any of those strange lights you spoke about? I'd love to see them up close."

Finn looked around, realization dawning on him. "You know, you're right. I think this is actually the moor where I saw one of them. Right around here from Huldra House."

Amelia pondered this for a moment. "Since you mentioned it and enjoyed mocking me for it, I'm wondering... Have you ever seen anything... unexplainable, yourself, Winters?"

She paused, seeming to search deep within herself for an answer as they continued along the trail. "There was once. After my fiancé passed, I was at home one night. I just felt... Terrible, like I couldn't go on living like that. I missed him. And then, in the midst of my tears, there was this knock." She inhaled sharply for a moment. "A photo frame in the other room had fallen. It was our picture. And when I picked it up, just for a split second, and I know this sounds crazy, I turned I thought I saw him in his armchair, just watching me. Then I blinked, and it was gone. He was gone... Again."

Finn looked at her with gentle eyes, "Let's say what you saw was real?"

“I don't think it was.”

“But let's say it was, for argument's sake,” Finn continued. “Did that make you feel any better?”

A reflective Amelia replied, "In a way, yes. But it was also a bit unsettling, almost frightening, though I know he'd never want to scare me. I always attributed what I saw to my grief, stress. You know, playing tricks on the mind."

The path beneath their feet seemed to lengthen with their conversation. Finn's voice took on a lower tone, "You know, I've often wondered. What if it's not the stress that causes us to see these things? What if it's the stress that allows us to see? Like, it breaks down some barrier, allowing us to glimpse things usually out of our sight."

Amelia looked at him thoughtfully. "That's a different way to see it. But then, isn't that what we do every day? Trying to see the unseen, hear the unheard."

Finn smiled, "Exactly. But maybe you don't go looking for it. Maybe, when you least expect it, it'll come to you."

The path continued to wind its way upwards as Finn cast the beam of his flashlight towards a rustling bush.

“I think you're safe,” Amelia said. “Unless you have a fear of rabbits?”

One scurried out from the cover of the leaves and then darted back in.

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