"Breed? Seriously, detective, you're talking paranormal mumbo jumbo." Marcus said, squaring his shoulders towards the detective.

What did Marcus think he was doing, antagonising the sheriff? That would help no one.

"You and I both know we are not involved with this. We've been in the village less than two hours," continued Marcus. "What grounds have you got to keep me here? I'm not prepared to put up with this insane nonsense."

"Sir, I have no intention of keeping you or your fiancee here any longer than we need to. Though do I need to remind you someone like you should realise this is no joke?"

"No joke? Trying to convince us there is something supernatural going on when my fiancée is clearly in shock following the gruesome discovery of a body. This is totally uncalled for."

I noticed the detective glance towards Agnes, who subtly shook her head.

He turned to me, "I understand you have been through a great shock, but with our procedures we need to collect some information about you for our records."

I nodded in agreement.

Captain Wolfhart fixed Marcus with a steely gaze. "Mr. Wilder," he said. "It's clear you're not from around these parts."

I shivered. His tone sent a warning, giving me chills.

Marcus squared up to the Captain. "I'm here to support Evie," he said.

Wolfhart didn't miss a beat. "I appreciate your support, Mr. Wilder, but Llyncroft is a small community which Miss Hartwell is now a part of. We look out for each other. Respect our ways."

It felt like a threat, like he was saying 'behave yourself in my town', but why was he so focused on Marcus? I knew Marcus was acting foolishly, but there was no need to make us look guilty. I felt a lump form in my throat as I watched the two men. The room felt heavy with tension. Wolfhart's words felt like accusations, not just at Marcus, but at me too.

"Can I clarify, you found the body, Miss Hartwell?" Captain Wolfhart turned to me. His tone was softer, but his eyes remained intense.

I nodded. "Yes, I, I found him."

Captain Wolfhart glanced at me, then rose and strode towards the door. He turned back to us. "I suggest you both stay in the village until we've completed our investigation," he said.

"I suggest you do more to protect Evie and I, newcommers to the village, rather than insinuate she's involved with this," said Marcus.

There was an undercurrent of tension in the air as Captain Wolfhart looked from me to Marcus. It was like watching two alpha wolves, both vying for dominance, their silent challenge invisible to the untrained eye. I felt a knot form in my stomach. I wasn't sure where I fit in this strange pecking order.

Captain Wolfhart rolled his shoulders back as if preparing for a fight. "Mr. Wilder, I hear you," he said. "But as the local police captain, it's my job to lead this investigation. And I need you to stay while we complete our investigations."

Marcus crossed his arms. "And as Evie's partner, it's my job to make sure she's not stressed or dragged into this mess."

They were trying to be civil, but I could feel the tension. They were marking their territory. I had had enough of this.

"Let's focus on the matter at hand," Captain Wolfhart said. "A man has died under mysterious circumstances."

"Not forgetting where he died," Marcus said, looking around the conservatory.

I shifted uncomfortably. "I think Marcus is just saying that we're new to this and we want to help."

Captain Wolfhart looked at me. "Thank you for your cooperation.". He turned back to Marcus, "while you're in Llyncroft, you'll do things our way."

Marcus bristled, but managed a tight smile. "Of course, Captain. We have the same goal. We want to discover what happened to Mr Davies. Is there a reason to detain my fiancé? Any sign we had anything to do with this?"

"No sir, as you say, you've only just come into the village. I have no reason to suspect your involvement or your fiancé's. She, however, is the owner of the property, and we need her permission to carry out our investigations here."

"Evie gives you permission and then, in that case, we will be leaving. You won't subject my fiancé to this. You have no right to intimidate her or play this practical joke on her. I will take Evie home now. She doesn't need to endure this.

Marcus took my hand and gently coaxed me to my feet. "Come on love, we're going," he said. I offered no resistance. The grim discovery of the body had sapped my the desire to remain in Willow Grove and extinguishing earlier excitement.

Marcus handed the captain his business card. "You'll find our details here. Feel free to contact us at home. My fiancée is incredibly shaken and I refuse to let her linger in a strange place. You will have to arrest us to prevent us from leaving."

The captain nodded, his gaze lingering on Marcus as if he was considering his words. "I understand, sir. We'll be in touch within a couple of days. As the property owner, we'll need to interview your fiancée, eventually. I want to keep her informed about when she can return once it's no longer an active crime scene."

"Thank you for your understanding," Marcus replied, guiding me out of the house. He helped me into the front seat of the car. Overwhelmed, I allowed Marcus to lead the way instead of protesting.

None of this made any sense. What was the detective even implying? At least we were going home. I wanted the safety and comfort of my own bed.

Marcus entered the car, took a deep breath, to centre himself, then he started the engine. "Honey, I'm taking you home. This trip was a mistake. You don't have to move here. Let's leave and focus on work tomorrow."

He drove us away from Llyncroft, following the coastal road. About a mile from the village, the car's engine coughed and died abruptly. Marcus pounded the steering wheel in frustration. "I don't believe this."

After attempting to open the bonnet and scalding his hand on the overheated metal, he stepped back, cursing and nursing his injury.

I exited the car. "Marcus, are you alright?"

"Just stay back, Evie. Give me a moment," he said.

I knew I needed to give him space, so I wandered to the cliff's edge, taking in the bay's sparkling waters and the distant sails on the horizon. The stretch of white sand below was stunning, and despite everything, this place felt like home. I wondered how far the sea went out at low tide.

Hearing the bonnet slam shut, I turned to see Marcus climbing back in. "There's nothing obviously wrong," he said as the engine roared to life without a hint of trouble.

A sense of panic surged in me as he inched the car forward without me. He stopped. There was no issue with the car. "What do you think that's about?" I asked, returning to the vehicle.

Before I could reach the rear of the car, I collided with something invisible, an unseen barrier preventing me from reaching the car.

"What the hell's going on?" I pushed against it, bewildered.

"I don't know," Marcus replied, returning to my side and trying to move me forward. He tried to push me to the car, but to no avail.

"The old woman mentioned wards," he mused, more to himself than to me. "Damn it."

He couldn't push me past the barrier. Yet, when he released me, he passed through it effortlessly.

"What am I going to do? What do we do?" I asked, beginning to panic.

"I don't know love, but it's a two-hour drive home, and I need to be back at the office tomorrow for the interview. I can't stay here waiting as I've already taken too much time off for you," he said.

"You can't mean that. You'd leave me here?" I couldn't believe it.

"You have a place to stay. I'll call you in the morning," he said, and with that, Marcus got into the car and drove away, leaving me stranded, miles from anywhere familiar.

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